


Cli Que

by Ndiggold



Series: Rolling in Doughmeo & Unkewliet [1]
Category: Baby Sitters Club
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-01-16
Updated: 2013-08-07
Packaged: 2017-11-22 02:40:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 22,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/604908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ndiggold/pseuds/Ndiggold
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When David Michael, Natalie, Pamela, and Karen get trapped & caught underage drinking at a party; they get the choice of mixing their cliques instead of juvie. Can they make it when their rep/image, friendship, dreams, beliefs, identity,  & hearts are put to the test? Nothing will ever be the same. Esp when it gets the Stonybrook Elite Coven's  attention for shaking the status quo?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

Natalie forgot all about the notes, in her high about yesterday with Dave Mike, until she saw a blur slip of paper on her locker. She pulled it off and opened it.

_I warned you to stay away from Dave Mike, if you already didn't have a reason to give up. Linderella anyone?? Now you'll see the what happens and where you really stand ! ~ # forty-_

Natalie gently crumpled the paper. #forty-two didnt bother hiding who he was from the start but he either didn't want anyone else knowing  or liked being confused  for Dave.

Either way that's who he called himself, go figure kids were weird,especially in this town. Natalie briefly wondered what Linny meant but was too ready for the day(And still on a high from  flirting with Dave Mike) to care. Even though her instincts and experience of an outcast in this elite town made it clear he meant she would pay a huge price. Natalie mostly had no idea what Linny would do, he wouldn't do anything drastic or want Dave Mike to fail the project... Would he? 

Either way Natalie decided she wold cross that bridge with when it came. Besides Linny was known to PMSed, nothing new. Natalie crumpled the note and tossed it away as she walked to her next class, unusually carefree. The warning bell had ring, signaling five minutes.

So Natalie closed her locker and greeted her new friends, even David Michael.

She was walking away with a smile when all a sudden a hand grabbed her and spun her around. She found herself face to face with SHS' star, Linny Papadakis's handsome face. Then in front of the crowded hallway, he moved his hand to her waist her dramatically dipping her and crashing his lips on hers.

She can smell Linny's Azzaro cologn. Natalie was overwhelmed  at Linny's sudden closeness.  She smells like tropical roses. Her shyness is cute but Linny wished Lindsey was in her place A few people I the crowd whistled. Linny pulled back from Natalie, I dipping her, after she pushed him.

Ignoring the madly blushing Natalie, Lindsey stormed up to Linny and slapped him. "Douchebag!" She cried, staring him evenly in the eyes.

 

"Who's PMSing now?" Linny said, softly, holding his cheek. She turned on her heel to go but Linny grabbed her wrist, gently. "Like you would t know, *Linderella!" Lindsey paiswd before she yanked her wrist a d ran off.

But she ran into David Michael and he touched her shoulder to stop her, stating at Linny. "What the hell, Linny?"

"Drop the act, Dave Mike! You betray the team and steal my girl! Who the hell do you think you are?"

"Someone from this reality, Linny?"

"Your girl?!" Lindsey shrieks. She grabs Davis Michael' shirt, spinning him towards her, and kisses him on the lips.  Dave Mike can smell her Angel perfume. She is not a bad kisser as Linny described to him once but Dave stopped her. Linny and Natalie are stunned.

Linny but sees red while Natalie wonders why she sees green. After Lindsey pulls away, Linny grabs David Michael by his shirt. Until Nock pulls  Linny back while Jackie holds David Michael.

"Calm down guys," Nick holds Linny back, an arm around him.

"What's going on here?!" A teacher comes in and officially breaks it up. David Michale and Linny get detention. And an end of a 17 yr old friendship

~*~

Linny drops out of drama club, saying something about David Michael choosing drama over basketball. David Michael thinks about quitting basketball. Max mumbles something about drama queens.

Every person in school gossips about David, Linny, and Natalie.

"He gave up his scholarship and friend in this project."

"Those b**s are on Linny like flies honey,  yo! He can get any girl to pass time while his girl freezes him out with glass slippers. I knew the geek would chose him over Dave. Dave can't even sweep Linny's rebound off her feet."

"Dave is the phantom of the soap opera, reaching for the geek."

Natalie wondered if David Michael was angry at her because she gave him a phantom of the opera  theme for his drama club  picture. 

When Natalie bumped into David Michael, she expected him to lash out at her for the picture  and quit. "Drama practice is rescheduled.."

When David Michael stared at her, Natalie stuttered, "um sorry? F-for the picture!"

David Michael's stormy eyes darkens and Natalie stopped back, involuntarily.

But David Michael put a hand her face, dipped her down, and kissed her on the lips. Before Natalie could barely react, David Michael pulled  her up. "Was that better than Linny?" he asked simply.

"Yes," Natalie chocked. "Don't tell Linny I said that?"

David Michael stepped back a little. "Sorry, I didn't mean to... Don't tell Linny I did this?"

 ~*~

A shadowy figure from the balcony watched them before holding his cellphone up to his ear. "You won't believe this! Davy secretly is  after Linny's new trophy dork. 

"Such a shame, Linny will just have to hear about this!"

"Linny will practically do my job!"

"Dotnt be foolish! You have to pull the invisible strings"

"Of course. Even though Linny's a backstabbing, cheating douche, he's still a pussy.   I'll have to do everything."

"Good. Just make sure it happens  or Hugh Porter won't be happy. "

"Don't worry Stonybrook-Elite Coven lord. I won't mess this up."

"You better, not even your father  can   save you if you mess  up."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Join we have sequels: {fanfictionDOTnet/forum/RPS-Titanic-Write-Fora/105034/1/60149/}
> 
> Anyone think of Alan Grey, Aaron Michael Metchik when you imagine Dave Mike? I did but I don't intend to make Dave Mike exactly like him.

**Everyone was at the party Hank Ruben threw,  was rare in the highly clique filled Stonybrook Highschool, but not surprising; since it was normal for Highschool. It was at his family's beach house, which his parents weren't at; and thought he wasn't either but instead visiting his brother(who covered for him** ).

**There was old school rap music, people mingling everywhere, someone brought beer, and kids creating too much trouble. The trouble was why things got out of hand.**

**In a lower level bedroom Karen Brewer fell off the bed out an open window of the bedroom. She came to her senses after going into a locked room with Kyle Taylor, both drunk as a skunk.**

**In the livingroom, Pamela tripped out an open window; after taking shots for lying too much during a truth or dare game.**

**In the backroom, David Michael stumbled out the open window; after the varsity basketball team dared him to take shots.**

**In the sunroom, Natalie tripped out the open window and broke it. She accidentally drank a lot of the punch she liked that was spiked.**

**The police sirens were heard. Someone reported someone even brought a more drug to the party, but Jackie Rodowski would claim he tasted pot brownies. Everyone escaped, including Hank with some ninja moves, but those four were too injured to get away in time. The police found them outside of Hank's house, which was locked up(windows shut) and the lights off while Hank made a stunning getaway on a boat(he'd come back to the scene of the crime the next day to clean up the house). No one answered when the police knocked. So it looked like the four were stumbling around the place, drunk. All arrested and brought to the police station.**

A most furious Elizabeth, Watson, Mr & Mrs. Springer, and Mr & Mrs. Harding came over to the station. They had loud lectures and groundings ready for the four. But it didn't end at that. The **police state the teens could be charged for underage drinking and possibly breaking and entering. But the police was willing to give them community service instead, at their high school. The parents agreed.**

0 o 0

So on Monday, the four of them met the principal; who decided their community service. He found it odd, the four of them from the most clashing social cliques but not the most diverse cliques at school, would be caught stumbling around a dark, locked beach house of Mr. Ruben at night. He was a wise one, he knew the were four unlucky kids left behind in a HS party raid. But he thought the situation was ironic. So he decided the punishment should fit the hilarious crime.

**"You four shall be the club clique in this school!" the principal announced. They looked at him blankly. "You will volunteer for all the things that help run this school. Morning announcements, I know you do that Mrs. Springer but now Mr. Thomas-Brewer will do that and you organize/create the announcements! You will plan dances, help the student committee, help the yearbook club, and since you like sneaking around drunk together… mix your cliques." They gaped at him. "That means," he said before they could interrupt. " No dividing cafeterias, gym areas, dances, no ignoring each other, and no leaving anyone out. If you pick partners in class assignments, you can't chose someone from your own clique anymore. In fact you four have to chose from each other. And you just don't do the minimum requirement of socializing. You treat them like your clique." They look at him in shock.**

"What if we don't agree?" Pamela asked, shooting nasty looks at Karen.

"If you disagree, you will be subject to the law for underage drinking, wondering on private property at night, and suspicions of breaking & entering," the principal, "but you know it's totally worth your saving your rep." The principal batted his eyelashes.

David Michael tried to hide his grin.

Pamela gulped. "But Hank Ruben had a party-"

"I'm aware Ms. Harding," the principal replied. "But it cannot be proven since a Mr. Ruben covered his tracks nicely. And even if the law could prove it, the wondering on private property and suspicions of breaking & entering would just be dropped. And Mr. Ruben would join you."

"Like we should," Dave Mike grumbled.

Pamela groaned but didn't protest. "You four are dismissed!" The four of them left.

When they joined their friends, they each explained what happened. Except Natalie only had her step-sister Louisa; Lindsey, her neighbor; and uninterested lab partner,  Scott Tsu to tell. They were sympathetic.

The cliques looked uneasy, especially as lunch bell rang. It was awkward in the cafeteria.

Karen's street-cheer squad/friends eyed Pamela's cheerleading squad/friends, oddly. David Michael's basketball team/friends eyed Karen and Pamela's group, wearily. Those girls were already by association tied with the basketball team. Even if David Michael's friends weren't only close  with the Cheerdance group head by Kerry Bruno; who Dave Mike's friends were dating.

Like the ones who bailed on David Michael. In Jackie, Nicky, and Linny's defense, they couldn't find David Michael. "I would've never been out of the house again," was all their excuse.

"Even with as many siblings as I have, including the triplets, my parents would've grounded me until I had my own kids," Nicky told him.

So the only other group they had to sit with was the geeky loners. Sitting with the cheer dancers or at the other end of the table was the curly, crimson haired girl(wearing a  coral skirt, tan blouse, and tan lace boots). Next to her was Lindsey DeWitt, dressed similarly. David Michael wasn't sure he ever saw a more quiet, girly girl. He wondered if she ever got out and what her Saturdays were like.

His whole team glared   glared him, there was even talk of kicking him off the team but he was too important for that. 

But when she looked at him, he felt a funny feeling. Fresh green eyes framed under curly lashes met his amber eyes. Her face was glowing with a flush. This would be a long year.

 

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Watch out divas!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Join we have sequels! {fanfictionDOTnet/forum/RPS-Titanic-Write-Fora/105034/1/60149/}

 

Awkwardness spread not only in the four's group tbut the whole cafeteria. THe clique  affected the whole school. Like David Michael's varsity basketball team split in half. Max's friends & acquaintances hung with the cheerleaders, the captain Pamela was his girlfriend.

Then David Michael friends were closer to the Pepleaders(cheerleaders who danced with the mascot).

Kyle's fiends were close to the Cheerpiers(cheerleaders who were mo dancers with batons) Karen, the captain was Kyle's girlfriend and David Michael's step-sister.

Margo and Kerry of the Pepleaders were Jackie and Nick's girlfriends.

The basketball team was also divided for another reason. Max and David Michael were arch enemies as Jackie put it.

Ever since David Michael's mom, Elizabeth, married Karen's rich father, Watson; and they moved to the rich neighborhood across Max. Before David Michael, Kristy, Sam, and Charlie lived with Elizabeth in Bradford Court next to Kristy's friend, Mary Anne and Baby Sitters Club member(something Dave Mike inspired after Kristy hear her mom looking for a sitter for him) 10 years ago.. 

Ironically Max was sitting at a table across David Michael. He shot David Michael a weird smirk. David Michael rolled his eyes, the guy was weird no matter how popular he claimed to be.

Across the cafeteria, Natalie pulled her mysterry book and Rice Krispie away her face   as the whole cafeteria became silent all of a sudden.

Karen and Pamela's cliques exchanged akward glances. Then Pamela got up, followed by Leslie and Joyce. And Karen got up, flanked by Nancy and Hannie. Both of these groups walked towards each other. Prepared to attack each other. Each of these cliques prepared to strike. They had lipgloss, pompom sticks, and fake nails pointed at each other like weapons. Karen and Pamela approached each other, their cliques loosely circling them, ready to attack.

Pamela flipped her hair back with so much force a sharp breezed swung the cafeteria door blew open. Karen flipped her har back so hard, everyone's "Let's get through this BS!" Pamela declared, holding her hand out and Karen pumped her hand with her own. Their cliques dropped their weapons of mass distraction. And so the cliques mixed with the enemies as Karen's group akwardly joined Pamela's. "So... I guess we'll have a joined squad?" Karen asked akwardly.

"I guess so," Karen replied, akwardly. "Do we meet afterschool at 3, because it's between 2 and 6; between the time we had our separate practices?"

"Sure," Pamela replied. They awkwardly made small talk that was..pleasant?! The cafeteria was stunned. The two biggest diva rivals... were sitting together? Joining their squads and having practice together?

Karen and Pamela purposefully split the cheerleading team into two groups so they wouldn't have to deal with each other. Plus Karen wanted to have a dance team. That was after they got bored of fighting each other for the captain position, that was filled with lots of sabatoge.

Then Margo and Kerry took the oportunity to form a pepdanice team since it was fun and they could work with the  school mascot.

Max and Kyle Tayor looked at each other awkwardly. Would this mean they would sit together or spend time together if their girlfriends were. Max and Kyle were like Draco and Ron of Harry Potter. Good luck Kyle! You're gonna need it!

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Join we have sequels: fanfiction.net/forum/RPS-Titanic-Write-Fora/105034/1/60149/

 

Now it was the Basketball Teams' and the geek's turn. David Michael's group eyed Natalie Springer, sitting alone except Jamje Newton, Scott Tsu, and Rosie Wilier. She really wanted to be an individual if her clique was so small.

"This is a piece of cake!" Jackie exclaimed, next to David Michael, making David Michael turn away from Natalie to his friends.

"He's right," Linny added, his eyes trained on Natalie. "We're so in this! It'd be so easy to ignore her while pretending we socialized with her." Sometimes Linny sounded like Chat Daniels of HSM3. It was only good no one sang in college.

"Dude she's not our mascot!" Nick exclaimed, sipping from a can.

"Though Linny's plan would work if she was..." Jackie said thoughtfully.

"Yeah, until she was abducted by the rival school's team," David Michael added, moodily. "Then I'd end up in juvenile hall for half the year but Karen and Pamela, sworn enemies for a decade, would get through this!"

"Calm down Davey Jones," Jackie said, holding up a pudding cup. "Juvie is not so bad. I was sent there after breaking everything in the museum I worked at, including the most valuable item." Everyone shook their head.

"Juvie couldn't say the same about him," Nick muttered. Jackie threw a spoonfull of pudding at Nick. Nick threw something back at him.

"Yea we can make her a mascot right away," Linny added, ignoring his friends flinging things at each other. "That can be our excuse to talk to her" David Michael buried his head in his hands.

David Michael glanced at Natalie again. Her crimson, curly hair was half up, pinned up in front of her hair. She wore a  flair skirtz

.She was leaning against a pillar, looking at her ohone . She  screamed  hobbit dork! 

She felt eyes on her and slowly looked up from her book. Her Harry Potter green eyes switched from her phone  to pierce David Michael's gaze. David Michael was startled. Natalie was pretty... no beautiful!  Her clear, fresh green eyes framed behind curly lashes could hypnotise any guy. 

0 o 0

Natalie was distracted from her food and phone   when she heard a commotion.

She looked up to see the SHS basketball team's captain, left guard, David Michael look at her. His friends were flinging food at each other like monkees.

She met David Michael's amber eyes. He was medium height but lanky, had smooth wavy, ebony hair, and a radiant complexion. He wore his basketball jersey, khaki dockers, and brown shoes.

Natalie was taken back by how much charm David Michael possesed. But he was like a shiny basketball trophy he and his friends could easily get distracted by.

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

David Michael akwardly looked at his friends. "So what do we do now?" he asked his friends.

"Don't look at us dude," Linny replied, glaring at Nicky and Jackie, annoyed while picking pudding out of his hair. "You're the one who got in troubled and into this mess. It's your problem." Unfortunately only Nick got in trouble for throwing food.

 "Dude," David Michael replied. "You do know that the principal said our whole clique has to mix.  with Natalie."

"Which is why the basketball varsity team tried to kick you off," Jackie helpfully supplied.

David Michael glared at him. "Thanks for the support  Jackie."

No problem, Davy Jones," Jackie replied, sipping his juice. "No problem man!"

"Yea but Natalie hangs out with Lindsey who is on the Pepleaders team, we know them," Nick added.

"That never stopped us from ignoring her before," David Michael replied, staring at Natalie. Who started back.

*~*

 "She can take his place," Nicky replied. "This isn't canon-"

"Guys!" David Michael exclaimed. "Whoever she is, we have to hang out with her now. Unless you want me to miss the big game because I'm in Juvie until  graduation!"

"Okay, don't get your knickers in a twist, Dave," Nick replied.

"Yeah it won't help your  game!" Jackie snorted.  David Michael gave him a look.

"She's s with Lindsey so it might give her some status," Linny said.

"In you want to talk to Lindsey so bad, just go up to her, Linny," Jackie chuckled.

"Shut up Jack," Linny turned red. David Michael laughed, Nick joined him.

Jackie doodled 'Linny plus Lindsey, Mrs. Lin Papadakis' on his notebook. "

 

0 o 0

"Why don't you just join our Pepleader team," Lindsey asked. Margo and Kerry were also sitting at their table. "Then you can socalize with them while we do without a problem."

"It might be cheating if I switch cliques," Natalie replied.

"Oh right," Lindsey said.

"Yea you don't want the principal to think you're cheating or you might end up in juvie with Davy Mikey," Margo said.

"That can be considered socializing out of the cliques," Kerry said. "I date one of them and they're not a..." She saw Jackie doodling in Linny's notebook and Linny grab the to smack  Jackie with it . "Uh a civilized people."

"Can't see why this is your punishment. Weren't your crimes wondering drunk around Hank Rueben's house. Not acting like them "

"Yea I don't get it either," Natalie replied.

 "Well we'll help you out," Margo smiled at Natalie.

 "Thanks!" she said.

So the four of them got up at the same time. Natalie who smoothed her blouse and skirt, felt like she was going on a scary adventure. At the same time Linny nudged David Michael.

David Michael, his friends, and a few other members of the varsity team got up. Max rolled his eyes and got up, lazily after his friends. "I still don't see why we need to keep him out of juvie."

They all awkwardly walked towards each other, the whole cafeteria stopped doing what they were doing and watched them. They met in front of an empty table. David Michael and Natalie were in front of each other. David Michael scratched his neck, ackwardly. Natalie smoothed her dress again and avoided looking at him. "So...uh the principal wants us to mix," David Michael started.

"Yea," Natalie replied, keeping her voice even and not nervous. "We have to sit together first or something."

"So let's sit!" Kerry exclaimed, grabbing Nicky's hand and pulling him down.

"Whoa, eager much?" Nick asked.

"Yeah," David Michael replied, almost shyly.

"She's our friend," Margo told David Michael. Margo pulled Jackie down too.

"Whoa, easy toots!" Jackie protested.

Everyone else started sitting down. David Michael and Natalie looked at each other before sitting down across each other. Lindsey and Linny were to their left and right.

"So you're in my life science class right?" David Michael asked, akwardly.

"Yeah," Natalie said.

"She's in the same gym as us too," Margo replied, kicking Jackie.

"Right she is," Jackie replied with a pained expression. They made some small talk. The cafeteria stopped paying attention to them, slowly getting over the shock. Like with Karen and Pamela.

"Well this is awkward!" Max declared, sitting diagonal from Natalie. "Way to go Thomas-Brewer! And Springer. You two plus Pamela and Karen, another Brewer, are the reason we have to do this. And that Rueben guy!"

The bell rang, ending lunch. 

Natalie slung her  bag over her shoulder and handbag.

They all got up and left. Dave Mike glanced at Natalie before passing by her.

"Rueben," Margo muttered in the hallway, walking next to Natalie. Hank Rueben walked by. He paused seeing them. Hank was the announcer for the school games.

Hank looked at Margo in shock then blinked a few times at Natalie, like most people who pass her by. "Oh uh hi Kerry. Sorry about leaving you guys hanging at the party! If my parents caught me, I'd never be able to visit my brother or the beach house again. I didn't know you guys were outside and the cops caught ya! Or the principal made you do this!"

 

Natalie slightly sighed. "It's no big deal, Hank," she replied.

Hank nodded. "Once again, sorry!" He walked away.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Join the dark side, we have a sequel: fanfictionDOTnet/forum/The-Write-Fora/105034/1/60149/


	6. Chapter 6

In Home Ec a movie was playing. A 1968 Lucile Ball movie, _Yours Mine, and Ours_. To teach them about families or something. Besides the fact that David Michael and Nick felt they didn't have it as bad as they thought; the friends talked quietly during the movie. But it was more than interesting enough to watch, that's why they talked quietly.

"We have to hang with her the whole time?" Linny asked quietly while the scene where the step father talked to the daughter. They glanced at Natalie, who was watching the movie, with interest.

"What does she even do?" Jackie asked, quietly. "For fun? I don't want to be a jerk but she doesn't have many friends."

"She talks with Lindsey, Scott, and her sister," Linny pointed out.

"She probably talks to whoever she can catch," Nick added.

"Dude, that makes her sound like a leper" Jackie exclaimed.

 

"She is dumbass" a third whisper added. The four turned to see Max, Benson, and Benjamin leaning over to them. "You're going to ruin our rep by making us hang out with a geek! Because you were stupid enough to by fall out a window drunk when the host managed to lock the  up house up and escape."

"Your girlfriend did too," Jackie pointed out.

Max glared at him. "We don't care if this works Thomas-Brewer! Springer is an outcast, and if you buddy up with her, you are too! So staying out of juvie is your problem, man!"

"Hey man!" Nick intervened. "If Dave Mike ends up in juvie, we don't have our best player on SHS team. We lose our point guard!"

Max snorted. "I'm a point guard too for the other half of the season," he reminded them. "I think we'd be better off if I was the whole season. So I have nothing to lose!"

"Now I see what you're doing!" David Michael replied. "You're just jealous and would do anything to get me off the team!"

"Whatever helps you sleep at night Thomas-Brewer," Max replied. "I'm just helping our team. We don't need someone with 2 first and last names slowing us down."

"Davy  is faster than you with 2 first and last names than you are with a 3 lettee name," Jackie retorted

"Whatever Rodowski, talk to me when you can do something without breaking," Max retorted.

"Why would I want to talk to you without breaking-?" Jackie stood up.

"What's going on?" The teacher folded her arms, staring at them. The whole class was staring at them. They weren't as quiet as they thought.

David Michael glanced at Natalie, he wondered if she heard. By the anxious, unhappy face she made, he guessed she did. He tried to give her a consoling look. She was so quiet, he wondered if she could make it in juvie or with Max. He wasn't sure which one worse.

"You're suppose to be watching a movie, young men!" the teacher growled. "Not arguing. Stay after class and less talking, more watching!" The guys turned back to the movie, with folded arms.

Natalie glanced at them once they did that. Were they really going to treat her badly? She didn't want to end up in juvie. She barely talked and was an easy target! David Michael loooked sorry bit he didn't have to act like taking to her was social suicide. But he had a rep to keep and Max gave him a hard time.

Natalie sighed and watched the movie, leaning back with her elbows on the edge of the desk. 

The movie ended. "Okay class now it's time for your first assignment. You will learn about the duties and responsibilities that come with having a family. So I will pair you up with the opposite gender and each of you will take care of a tomagotchi like a child!"

Jackie raised his hand, unwisely. "Yes Mr. Rodowski?"

"Aren't you suppose to preach against children out of wedlock?"

"This isn't a Catholic school, genius!" Leslie snapped.

"Whatever babe, even public schools don't condone this kind of thing!" Jackie looked at the teacher.

The teacher sighed, exasperated. "You can all recite vows, Mr Rodowski! But let me pair you up with your future husbands or wives first!"

"If we're getting married, don't we get to chose?" Jackie asked.

The teacher sighed. "It's arranged Mr. Rodowski!" she snapped. "Cultural learning!"

"That's not really teaching us about abstaining," Jackie muttered.

"Whatever Mr. Rodowski, do as you please!" the teacher snapped. "Everyone partner up! If you're shy, pester Mr. Rodowski!"

A few girls glared at Jackie. Jackie nodded at them. "S'up girls?"

Karen and Pamela made a beeline for their boyfriends but remembered the principal's rules. They stared at each other. "So... do you uh wanna partner with my boyfriend and I with yours?" Karen asked. "Like a wife switch?"

"Uh okay but don't you mean those shows where mommies switch families?" Pamela asked.

"Yeah that!"

"Okay but what if the teacher asks?" Pamela asks.

"We don't tell her," Karen said. "But we treat each others' boyfriends like traded families."

"Agreed!" Pamela said. Pamela walked up to Kyle and talked to him, his eyes were wide. Karen merely walked up to Max and put an arm around him. Max looked at Karen, weirdly. Hannie and Nancy switched with Joyce and Leslie's boyfriends.

"Ay dios mio! My wives always leave me," Ricky cried, glancing at Hannie. "First Karen, now Hannie!"

"Ew!" Linny said, seeing them. "Max and Benson are going to be our brother-in-laws, Dave!"

"Ugh I don't pity you," Nick said.

"I don't need anymore bad news," David Michael replied, moodily. That reminded him of the Principal's rules. He glared at Jackie, Jackie had to open his big mouth!

David Michael took a deep breath and walked towards Natalie, who was checking her stuff... a lot. "Hi," he said softly. She spun around and looked up at him.

"Uh hi," she said, shyly.

"Uh according to the principal, we have to  partner up in every class," David Michael said.

"Oh right," Natalie replied, sweeping a strand of hair from her face, avoiding his gaze.

David Michael stared at her. "So... do you want to make a schedule to watch it?"

"Uh sure," Natalie replied, still not looking at him. He sat down besides her, akwardly.

The teacher glared at Jackie, passed out rings then went to the podium. "Dearly beloved class. We're gathered here hopefully to get you matriculated. For this class it requires you all to go into temporary matrimony. For better or worse grade. So do you all take each other to be assigned husband and wife in this class? If anyone has any objections, speak now! Or forever hold your grade!"

No one said anything. "Good now exchange rings so I can pronounce you man & wife and bless you with kids before the bell rings!"

David Michael looked at Natalie, akwardly. He akwardly waited while she held her hand up then put the ring on her finger. Then he held his hand up for her to do the same. He noticed her hand was cold while she slid the ring on his finger. "I pronounce you man and wife!" the teacher exclaimed when they were all done.

"Great my second wife and I'm not even legal!" Ricky cried.

Max was eying Karen, oddly. Karen was eying Max's wallet. "Are you going to take me on a good honeymoon?" _Brewers!_ Max thought.

"Now for kids!" the teacher walked around with a bin of tamagotchi's.

"Things move fast in this class," Jackie mumbled. A clear, blue tamagotchi was placed on Natalie's desk.

"Okay poke it and an egg appears!" the teacher said.

"Funny, it's exactly like-"

"Mr. Rodowski, do you want another detention?"

David Michael took a pen but it wouldn't work. "That might be too big," Natalie spoke up for once. David Michael looked at her and nodded. Natalie never imagined she would be setting up a tamogotchi baby with David Michael. He was well known in SHS, she was well ignored. She didn't know who David Michael dated, he never had any girlfriend with him. His friend Jeff as ein her  sister Louisa.

Natalie took pin that she used to pin her bra strap to her blouse, when she was overly nervous that morning. When Natalie saw David Michael blush, she knew she wasn't discreet enough about where she unpinned it from. She blushed too. "Here," she mumbled, holding out the pin.

"Thanks," David Michael stopped scratching the back of his head and gently took the pin. He poked tamogotchi. After a few beeps, an egg appeared. "Here," he said akwardly, holding the pin back. She took it, her face pink, but put it in her l bag instead. David Michael stared at her for a second and she avoided looking at him, embarassed.

"Congratulations class, you're parents! When your babies are born, name them!"

"How does it feel?" Max harshly whispered to David Michael. "Marrying  a nerd?"

"How does it feel being my brother-in-law?" David Michael retorted. "Not just that but married to Karen"

"Thanks for  reminding me," Max replied, then walked away. David shook his head.

"You're telling me," Linny grumbled. "I don't want Bensons' to join my family! What if his kid looks like mix  of us?!"

"That kid would be scarred!" Nick patted him on the shoulder.

"Thank God I'm just Karen'a step brother," David Michael leand back.

When it was time for the eggs to hatch, everyone went to sit down. Natalie watched, and held it up so David Michael could see too; as the egg hatched.

 


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Join the dark side, we have sequels: forum/RPS-Titanic-Write-Fora/105034/1/1/

David Michael and Natalie looked at each other as a baby came out of the cracked egg. "It's a cross breed of the wanna be point guard and nerd!" Max sneered, walking by. Natalie blushed but frowned. David Michael just glared at Max. "What's yours? The devil's spawn?"

"Excuse me? It's half mine!" Karen sauntered by.

"Sorry spoiled devil spawn," David Michael corected. Karen glared at him but walked away. The bell rang.

"Don't forget to pick up your keychain carseat!" the teacher cried out.

"She can't be serious," Max muttered. "I'm not hanging a tamagotchi from my review mirror!"

"I don't know Max, you might actually look cooler," Kyle joked as he walked by. Max was about to reply when Pamela pulled him over.

"Don't ruin this for us!" she hissed. "I don't want to end up in Camp Greenlake! That's where they're holding Juvie!"

"Don't get one up on him! It's not worth me ending up in Camp Greenlake!" Karen hissed at Kyle.

Max and Kyle started at each other then walked away from each other. "Guys!" Karen said to Pamela, who nodded. The two walked past each other to join their partners.

David Michael and Natalie walked out of the classroom together. But first David Michael, his friends, and Max had to see the teacher so Natalie waited by the door. "Really? Fighting during Lucille Ball's Yours, Mine, and Ours? How can anyone space out during that movie? It's a classic?! If anything you guys can learn from that movie!" she ranted. "I've decided to skip detention and force you all to have one playdate with your kids!"

Great another clique mix, David Michael frowned. He rejoined Natalie by the door. David Michael and Natalie stopped by a locker near the staircase. David Michael turned to Natalie. "We have to watch it everyday. So we can alternate taking it home."

As Natalie stood next to him people started at her while walking by. They snickered and called her, ''droopy, the 8th dwarf''.

"So how's..." David Michael trailed off, seeing the teasing. Natalie tried to put on her calm, cool, poker face but it was too late. David Michael, annoyed by everything that happened so far, stood straight and used his jock influence to ward the people off. "You can keep it at your house first," he said to Natalie, "I'll pick it up this evening?" Natalie nodded, he smiled at her before pushing past the crowd, almost gathering around them.

Natalie pushed past the crowd as well to go to the bathroom. David Micheal glanced at her, while talking to his friends. When Natalie entered the bathroom, she let herself breath. She splashed water on her face. Then took out her chapstick and eyeshadow. She hated to lose control and feel put down. When she knew she was worth more and a better person. A status and popularity didn't make anyone of them better, including David Michael. But she had nothing against David Michael, he was pretty cool. She just didn't believe in the status quo.

0o0o0

David Michael listened to Jackie rant about his fantasy baseball team. "So I let Archie chose my players and he tries to put Harry Potter on it! Harry Potter! After he traded in the best player, he tells me Harry Potter is the best seeker! ****!"

Meanwhile Max's group was giving David Michael odd looks. They stared at Natalie and David Michael followed their gaze to see her rush off to the bathroom. He frowned. It wasn't her fault. He wish they'd lay off. Once Jackie was done and everyone dispersed, Linny cornered David Michael. "What's up with you man?" he asked.

""What do you mean?" David Michael asked, confused.

"You're very friendly with her after class!" Linny said.

"We're partners in a project, that's how it works, Linny," David Michael replied. "If I picked on her, wshe'd divorce me and gain child custody. Then I'd fail! Do you want that to happen?! Your marriage is working fine, don't ruin wreck mine, bro!"

"No man, that's not what I mean! You just have to do the project with her not hang around with her without us. Think of it as a contract marriage!"

"Bro, I was just working out a schedule with her!" SHS was too weird about cliques.

"Me and the others talked about it. We would pretend we're asking her to be our team mascot. Because you know they're always the guy or girl no one likes until they dance around stupidly like an animal for a school team no one likes either. Then everyone is happy!" Linny said. "Or some similar project like that. Then our rep would be saved."

"What difference does it make if the whole team or just me talks to her then? You can still pretend all of that!"

"No man. If you talk to her alone, it looks like you're being friendly to her! Or more since she's pretty pretty! If it was some other girl it wouldn't matter. But you're hurting the team because it's Natalie! She's the most hated person in our school. The town fool! The Jon Arbuckle. The-"

"I get it!" David Michael snapped. She slammed his locker shut. "Come off it Linny, it's no big deal!"

"No bro it is!" Linny replied.

"Screw the team, screw this school, screw Max by default, and screw you man! She's just a girl and I just talked to her!" David Michael snapped. He whirled around to walk away then stopped and turned around. "You call her a freak, Linny, but she's better than half the girls here. They cry and fear a little bit of heartbreak enough to let themselves be used. But she goes through something ten times worse everyday and never sells out!" David Micheal walked away without turning back.

0o0o0

Natalie was in the bathroom stall, switching sanitary pads. The bathroom door opened and Myriah Perkins entered. Her friends surrounded her. "Did you hear about Natalie Springer? Talking to Dave Mike Thomas-Brewer?" She stood at the mirror, spraying unhealthy doses of hair junk in her hair.

"Yea that was so weird! What was that about?!"

"Probably begging him fro the time of day!"

"Doesn't she own a watch?" her dumb friend asked. There was a light smack heard.

"Ow!"

"Anyway!" Myriah cleared her throat. "She's dumb, Davy Mikey is mine!"

"But she is pretty!" her dumb friend said again. Another smack.

"Ow!"

"Droopy the 8th dwarf?! Don't even joke! When she was younger her socks drooped, now her hair does!"

"But she's still pretty!" Another smack and an 'ow' following.

"She's no competition for me," Myriah glared in the mirror. "Guys fall to my feet! First Max, then Jake, then Matt, then Rob, then Adam," she counted her fingers.

"Adam?! He graduated 2 years ago!"

"Right I was a freshman while he was a junior. But I didn't do it with him. Him and his brothers were like triplet Fred and George Weaselys! Ew!"

"Then who?!"

"Jerry Tomson."

"Our old substitute?!"

"He's only 10 years older... It was an accident, we were both drunk," Myriah defended.

There was silence for a few seconds. "So how are you going to get Dave Mike to go to Prom with you?"

"Easy, I'm going to stand next to Springer since he keeps talking to her. I'll definitely look more popular!" Myriah frowned. "Things are weird in this school. First Pamela and Karen become frenemies. Then Dave Mike talks to Natalie."

"I think Dave Mike made a bet with Karen. And they both lost and have to talk to someone they don't usually talk to or something."

"Maybe," Myriah said, distracted.

Natalie was staying in the stall for a bit longer on purpose. But she couldn't breathe anymore and had enough. SHe walked out and went to the sink, avoiding eye contact with Myriah. "Look who it is!" Myriah sneered.

Natalie ignored her while she washed her hands. While she reached for a towel her reflection was fully visible. A few strands of her hair from her ponytail with a braid were loose which added to her radiant beauty. Myriah noticed and flipper her hair in annoyance. Natalie fluffed her hair in defiance after drying her hands.

"Stay away from Dave Mike!" Myriah hissed.

Natalie looked at her amused. "Did he ask you to deliver that message? Does he even know?" she smirked. "Perhaps I'll let him know you feel that way."

"Listen Springer! Don't be desperate he doesn't want your STDs!"

"I'm not you. I don't give those to guys and I don't have any dirty intentions like you seem to do. Our old substitute teacher?!" Natalie shook her head. Then she walked away, leaving Myriah speechless.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> http://www.fanfiction.net/forum/RPS-Titanic-Write-Fora/05034/1/1/

David Michael was in a huff all the way home. He went to the parking lot and got in his gold kia audi then drove off angrily. When he got home he avoided Linny's text messages and everybody in his house. Including Karen who brought Max over to their BSC meeting, just to annoy him. "Max, you're here because a newborn needs attention!" she stated.

 _With parents like that, definitely,_ David Michael thought. As the BSC and Max went to loft above Karen's room, David Michael avoided them. He only went out when none of them were out. David Michael ran into his sister in law, Charlie's wife, Janine when he was in the kitchen, getting a snack. Charlie lived nearby and visited often. Same with Sam while Kristy lived at home, finishing her studies. Janine was Claudia's sister, a former member of the BSC during Kristy's time, and Kristys friend. She smiled at David Michael while he got some chips and ice tea. "I thought I'd seen the last of the BSC meetings in the same roof I was under when Claudia was in the BSC," Janine told him. "Guess I was wrong. That's what I get for marrying Claudia's friend and fellow BSC member's brother."

David Michael chuckled. "Yeah same here," he said. "I thought I heard the last of the BSC after Kristy's club ended. But Karen runs it and I think the torch will pass to Emily Michelle next. SHe's already a Junior member."

"Well what are sisters for? Kristy has to have someone to keep it going after her," Janine replied with a chuckle. She looked at David Michael for a minute. "But you were the one to inspire the club, weren't you? Kristy watched Elizabeth look for a sitter for you and got the idea of a place where parents can reach a few sitters at once; then formed the BSC."

"Don't remind me," David Michael replied, pouring ice tea.

"We won't ever let you live it down!" Sam replied, coming into the kitchen. He high fived Andrew who walked by. "You're the root of all the endless chauffering, BSC projects, sleepovers, and Kristy projects!"

"Hey I'm proud!" Kristy exclaimed, walking in. "You know you enjoyed that!"

"Oh yea, listening to all of you giggle and plan every week," Janine replied.

"Right?" Sam nodded at Janine.

"It stills goes on," Andrew replied. David Micheal nodded at him.

"Great," Kristy took a snack. "If it wasn't for us, your childhood would be boring," she told David Michael, Andrew, and Emily Michelle. She ruffled David Michael and Andrew's hair but they swatted her away.

"You traumatized them with your projects!" Sam replied. Kristy swatted him.

"If I did, they'd be like you!"

"It certainly was an interesting childhood for them," Charlie added. "Maybe I'll let Karen or Emily Michelle by that time, babysit for tyke," he said, holding his kid.

"What is everyone up to?" Watson asked coming in followed by Elizabeth.

"Em Mich, aren't you suppose to be upstairs?" Elizabeth asked. "Karen was asking for you."

"Yea, I'm getting a snack for them," Emily Michelle replied. She gathered a few stuff and took it upstairs.

Another text came on David Michael's cellphone. He was going to ignore it when he noticed it was from Natalie. \Can you help me? This thing needs to be watched 24/7!\

David Michael texted her back.

0o0o0

David Michael met Natalie in an old part of town a few minutes later. They akwardly sat in a cafe and ordered a drinks plus small snacks. She showed him the tamagotchi. "Ever since this project started we have to watch it. If it grows up without studying it dies of brain atrophy," she rolled her eyes. "Louisa had one of these when these things were popular."

David Michael nodded. "So how are we suppose to do anything else?"

"Let me read the instructions?" She took a small paper from a small notebook. "Oh okay, if it survives within 5 hours of free time each day; we did good. And we have to watch it up to 9pm and after 6am on school days. 9pm and 9:30am on weekends," Natalie said.

David Michael breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank God!" He scratched the back of his head. "So...uh what did you name it?"

Natalie paused. "N-nothing yet."

"Have any ideas?"

"No, do you?"

"No."

There was an akward silence. "Is it a boy or girl?" David Michael asked.

"Girl," Natalie replied.

"Oh," David Michael replied. "I was going to ask you to name him Kevin, Ray, Derrick, Chris, Kobi, or Rajon! After the best NBA players."

"Oh...uh are there girl version of those names?" Natalie asked.

"Uh... maybe for a few of them," David Michael replied. "Christina, Rayan. I don't know about the rest."

"I like the name Rayan," Natalie said. "It means sweet fragrance."

"It has a nice ring to it and it's name after the best 3 point and free throw shooter, good choice," David Michael complimented. Natalie typed 'Rayan' into the name for the Tomagotchi.

"So do you uh want to uh-" David Michael started to ask but Natalie's phone's got texts at the same time. Natalie checked her phone while David Michael held Rayan who was beeping for for food.

"Uh it looks like we have a playdate with the others' tomagotchi," she told David Michael. She looked confused. "Kerry texted me."

David Michael smiled, sheepishly. "Oh right," he said. "Uh the teacher said Linny, Jackie, and our kid have a playdate with Max's kid instead of detention."

An akward silence fell after David Michael said 'our kid'. But Natalie broke the akward silence. "Our school has odd ideas for punishments!" David Michael chuckled.

"Oh yeah!" he replied. "Atleast it's a relief our school doesn't believe in corporeal punishment."

"So I guess we should go now," David Michael said. 

"Yeah," Natalie said, taking a last sip of her drink. She opened her purse and took out her coin purse.

"No it's on me!" David Michael stopped her, taking out his wallet.

Natalie shook her head. "No need to," she replied.

"No it's alright," David Michael replied, putting money on the tab. "Consider it payment for the way my friends treated you today."

"It's okay," Natalie mumbled, looking down. She didn't want to bring that subject up. David Michael watched her for a few minutes.

"You can pay the tip," he joked.

Natalie smiled. "Okay, if you insist that much," she joked. "But if you really want, you can pay for the tip," she said.

David Michael chuckled. "Okay," he chuckled and paid for the tip.

 


	9. Chapter 9

When they left the restuarant Natalie went to the bus stop. "Uh wait!" David Michael said. "You don't have a car?"

"Louisa needed it for work and my parents take the other cars," Natalie told him. "So I use the bus around Stonybrook or wait for Louisa to come home," she replied.

"Wow, that sucks," David Michael said. He scratched the back of his neck. "Uh if you need a free ride, I can give you one," he offered. He knew no one would let him live it down if he gave her a ride but this was weird part of town. No one should be forced to ride a bus here. "You know because this is a weird part of town, it's not too safe for a girl and all..." He scratched the back of his neck again. To emphasize his point, some scary   looking people walked by and stood at the bus stop. David Michael avoided eye contact with them but went to stand next to Natalie, who looked like she was on guard. 

Her bag fell and pepper spray fell out. David Michael quickly bent down as he did to help her pick it up. He was amused as he noticed a tiny can of pepper spray roll out of her bag. He picked it up and handed it to her. She smiled sheepishly as she took with a ''thanks'' and put it back in her bag. He wondered if he should be surprised or shake his head. He grinned at her. "So do you need a ride?" he asked with a small grin.

"Uh sure," Natalie said while some of the scary looking people stared at her. She wondered why he didn't care about his rep anymore. As she got in the car, she felt akward. When he slid in the drivers seat, there was a calm silence between them. Until he started the car and the radio started. 'Lift Off' blared from the speakers. The ride was pretty silent and Natalie felt more shy if it was possible.

David Michael parked in a small lot in front of Nick Pike's house. While he turned off the engine, Natalie noticed a lot of redheads. It was the Pikes. She was reminded of the Weasleys in Harry Potter. But despite being a little tight on budget the Pike house was gorgeous and well kept. She never saw a garden like the Pikes' before. Mrs Pike was very stylish. An older girl walked through the door. Natalie remembered her from her childhood as Mallory. One time the BSC embarked on a mission to help Natalie make friends. It seemed they failed.

David Michael was looking at her. "Are you coming?" he asked with a smile. She snapped out of her reverie and unbuckled her seatbelt. "Don't worry, they won't give you a hard time," he assured her. "Even if they're cocky." |I hope I can say the same thing about Max,| David Michael thought. He opened Natalie's car door. Natalie felt weird but was flattered at the same time. Once she got out and David Michael locked the door.

"Come on," David Michael told her. Natalie breathed in deeply, while walking to the door besides David Michael. David Michael glanced at her a few times. He hoped Linny wouldn't be too obsessed with these clique rules. And Max, well Max was a pain to everyone. But he could take that troll on. He wasn't sure about Natalie. He was glad it wasn't Linny's house. Nick's house was warm, inviting, and transcended all borders. It must've come with having so many siblings. David Michael would know.

Once they reached the door, David Michael rang the doorbell. A stampede was heard. "Don't just stand there! Get it!" A girl squeaked. Next door you could see the McGill's house. David Michael and Natalie remembered Stacey from the days she babysat them too. She went out to get mail and smiled at them. They waved back. Before Charlotte, Natalie's only friend, graduated; she'd sometimes give them lifts to the mall or help them with stuff.

The door opened to reveal a ginger haired girl. "Hi Dave Mike!" an older girl said.

"Hi Vanessa," David Michael replied.

"Come in, the other guys are already here," she said. She stepped back and David Michael gently made a 'follow me' at Natalie, before entering. Natalie followed him inside. 

"They're in the loft," she told David Michael after they went through the main hallway to the kitchen. David Michael bid Mr. and Mrs. Pike hello then walked in one direction himself. Natalie followed him, shyly. He knew the way around Nick's house. He went up spiral staircases. They passed by a room with one young girl, triplets, and the eldest she recognized as Mallory. Mallory smiled at her while the other siblings didn't notice her while having fun on the wii.

She followed David Michael up a staircase then down the hall. She started to feel a bit uncomfortable and felt this was a bad idea. But she had a no choice. They came up to a spiral staircase at one end of the hallway. David Micheal climbed up that and Natalie followed him. He stopped at a room on the left and entered. Natalie followed him in. It was a guy's room. From the sports stuff and pictures, Natalie identified it as Nick's room. It was very weird being in his room. The popular guy in school who never noticed her. Now she was in his room . She never imagined she would be. She could see his clothes strewn across his basket.

There was a small spiral staircase in his room, not unlike hers. She followed David Michael up the spiral staircase into a furnished loft room. It wasn't unlike Nick's room. Nick, David Michael's other friends, Max, and Karen were in the loft. They stared as the two entered. "Hey Dave Mike!" Jackie broke the silence.

"Hey," David Michael replied. While everyone stared at Natalie, Linny stared more at David Michael oddly enough. David Michael tried to avoid Linny's gaze. "I hope we're not late," David Michael said.

"No, not at all," Nick said warmly. "Hey Natalie," he said pleasantly.

"Hey," she replied, quietly. Everyone scooted over for them. David MIchael sat down next to Nick and Natalie sat next to him. Between him and Jackie. Karen smiled at her as well.

However Max across the room, akwardly sandwiched between Karen and Linny. He looked a little out of place. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Join there are sequels: www.fanfiction.net/forum/The-Fanfictual-Cache/124485/


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this is ch was left out by mistake

p

Natalie felt a little out of place too. But mostly shy. Max looked at her oddly but he felt the same way it seemed.

"So do our tomagotchi's join in screens?" Jackie asked.

"Hit the play button and you get a list to chose any others nearby," Karen said.

"I know they can," Kerry said from the door to the left. Margo was behind her, followed by Lindsey. "Sorry we're late," she said, "we stayed after school." She pointed to Lindsey.

"What's your excuse?!" Jackie asked Margo. "You live here!"

"I was late from work," Margo replied.

David Michael reached for Rayan but brushed Natalie's hand, who blushed. Natalie unhooked it from her bag and handed it to David Michael. Nick noticed this. "Whoa Springer, are you going to keep your real baby in your bag someday?"

Natalie blushed again. "No I-" Everyone chuckled, David Michael grinned at her while chuckling and taking the tomagotchi from her.

Natalie was surprised when David Michael let her pick. 'I don't mind, either one is fine' Natalie told him but he replied, "you're the mom so you get to pick her crowd." She blushed again and felt Lindsey's eyes on her.

After the playdate where even Max's Maxine played with another digital baby they left. Max left right away and Karen gave Natalie a ride while David Michael was cornered by Linny in Nick's room.

"Hey man, sorry if you're angry about earlier," he said.

"No, it's fine," David Michael replied. "I overreacted. I know this school has its status quo."

"Still, you didn't do anything so sorry for bugging you," Linny said.

"It's no big deal," David Michael said.

"Listen I was texting you," Linny said, "but you never answered."

David Michael smiled sheepishly. "Sorry about that."

"No probelm, I just wanted to tell you that the principal came up to me after you left. He added another cause. You and Natalie have to join each others' clubs."

"So Natalie's going to join the Streedancers?" David Michael asked.

"No, then she'd switch cliques," Linny replied. "She can only be a mascot."

"Anid what do we have to do?" David Michael asked.

"Join the drama club since club that's the only club she's in after the Environmental club was canceled," Linny replied.

"I have to join the drama club?" David Michael asked.

"Basically, yes," Linny replied. Linny watched David Michael's perplexed and uneasy face. "But don't worry, we'll go with your," Linny said.

"Yeah, me too," Nick and Jackie said from the doorway.

David Michael smiled at them. "Thanks guys, you'd do that for me?"

"Dont mention it man," they replied. "We might get a good, romantic role with a chick."

David Michael chuckled, then he paused. "Oh I almost forgot, I have to drop off Natalie!"

"Don't worry she got a ride with Karen," Nick replied. Linny and Jackie nodded.

"I see," David Michael replied, but for some reason hsafely dismayed.

After school David Michael went up to Natalie with the basketbal team. "We need a dog mascot for our team. So roll over and I'll give you a bone," Max said.

Natalie glared at him. "Sorry I don't want to be trained like you."

"Ooh burn!" the team laughed.

"What fido means is we have to join each others' clubs. The principal added a new clause," David Michael explained, "so the only thing you can join in our activities is mascot..."

"Oh," Natalie replied, "and you're going to join the drama club?"

David Michael nodded. "But we don't have a mascot costume for you so yeah."

Natalie thought for a second. "The drama club has a dog costume for last year's production, The Wizard of Oz."

Max snorted. "Ok, just use these details to the costume," David Michael gave her a picture of the school mascot.

"Right," Natalie replied. After they left she went to the theatre room, shaking her head. Dave Mike was going to join the drama club?! What next?!w That was answered as Pamela and Karen skipped by with a bunch of gamer girls surrounding them.

When Natalie got to the theatre she begin to search for the costume and found it.

She was done just as the auditions started. She went outside to see Dave Mike and his friends come to audition. The drama teacher voiced her surprise, "jocks in the theatre?! Is this Highschool Musical?!"

She went on to explain how this year's play was Nut Cinderella. Jackie wand a Nick snorted a bit. Then Mrs. Dramquin explained the play's plot. it was set in the renaissance, and it was a mix of Cinderella & the Nutcracker. The evil aunt, instead of step-mother was the rat queen as well.

The auditions begin, Natalie started first. She did the. Standard piece everyone was given. But she didn't specify any specific part she was interested in. After her Dave Mike and his friends went. They did the same.

After their own auditions ended, they Were free to leaveNatalie fixed her mascot, she set to work making it look like the picture Dave Mike gave her.

Natalie saw Dave Mike and his friends' auditions. For jocks who never knew about this theatre, they were pretty good.

After she walked out of the auditorium with her mascot costume, complete, she went to the gym. The jocks and cheerleaders in there intimidated her but she was suppose to hang out with jocks and jockettes. No one noticed her as she walked by.

Carolyn was on the girls' team but she had to hang with the boys because Dave Mike was one. But Caroyln decided to join Dave Mike's punishment. Carolyn was friendly and on the StreetDancer team too.

She waved at Natalie when she entered the locker room to out on her dingo mascot costume with a magenta & green poodle dress and eyepatch. She wore it over her clothes minus her vest but it felt less odder to get ready here them off to the side nears some intimidating popular kids.

Once she was ready she went outside after saying bye to Carolyn. She kept the head on when she came out into the gym. "Who's that?" Pamela asked.

"The new mascot, we have to show him or her the routine," Karen replied. She thought she overheard Dave Mike mention it was Natalie last night. Shle wasn't sure.

She walked up to the StreetDancers. "I'm the new mascot," she replied.

They stared at her. "I had to do it do it'd look good on my college résume,"she said when the silence continued.

"Who are you?" Myriah asked, her friends chuckled, awkwardly.

Dave Mike and Linny came over along with Jackie and Nick. Nick lifted the mascot head off her head. "


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi reviews are appreciated! The. Excitement starts now!

"Natalie?!" Karen asked in disbelief.

"Yeah," Dave Mike replied, "she you probably heard we have to join each  others' cliques."

"Yeah," Karen replied, "it's why I'm a cheerleader and Pamrla's a cheerdancer."

She looked at Natalie. "Okay, come with us, let's show you the routine?" She glanced at Dave Mike, Nick, and Linny; who all nodded.

She lead Natalie to the group of cheerleaders, cheerdancers, and StreetDancers. Myriah looked at her in shock. "We're you that desperate to get near cool?" Myriah asked.

"She's not doing what you do Perkin," Karen snapped. "And wskill know what that is." Myriah huffed and turned away. burn!

Karen turned to Natalie. "here is how. Yourout outlstar starts, " Karen showed Natalie how she'd start by copying the cheerleaders but while moving around. And thrn how she'd join the pyriamid.

Natalie copied Karen's demonstration. "Good you got it!" Karen told her. "Now get join the pyramid." Natalie glanced at the girls climbing on top of each other. "Don'worry you'll be safe!"

Natalie hesitantly went over and started climbeing on the girls. Whoever was string enough to hold the rest was on bottom, Natalie was placed on the top in the middle. Everyone watching her clapped but the pyramid shook and she lost her balance.

Lucky Dave Mike had quick reflexshe and caught her in time! Natalie breathed after yelping when he realized she was caught. Many phones took a picture. But Natalie nor Dave Mike noticed as they stared into each others' eyes.

Linny cleared his throat. Dave Mike set Natalie down. He rubbed the back of his neck, awkwardly.

"That's enough for today!" Karen announced. Everyone left.

0

The next day, Karen was doing the morning announcements. Natalie and Dave Mike heard her while walking in the hallway. They were avoiding each other and looking at people(easy for Natalie with her hair swinging in front of her) after both had vivid dreams last night. "...And the cast for this year's play by the drama club: Nut Cinderella has been put up in the drama auditorium. Room 2D."

Linny nudged Dave Mike and the four friends walked to the auditorium. Natalie got up at her locker and walked toward the auditorium. Even though skaters and band members mixed and goths & preps, etcetera; everyone stared at Natalie and Dave Mike. Pictures of Dave Mike catching Natalie were blown up and posted a few places.


	12. Chapter 12

Natalie took one look and heard 'easy', 'shrew', and 'gold digger'. Her tears blinded her and she let her curly bangs or uneven hair in the front cover her face as she ran to the theatre.

David Michael saw her run by and frowned in concern, turning to follow her with his gaze. 'Low standards' and 'freaky lover' reached his ears.

"Just one pic and your rep tanked," Linny complained.

Max, surrounded by the team and skaters came up to Dave Mike, patting him on the shoulder. "Hey man I know you were looking for someone freaky but don't sample the freaks, believe it or not freaks aren't freaks because they're freaky in bed," Max said and everyone around laughed and passed around Dave Mike. "If she was good, next time ask around first," Max smirked at Dave Mike before walking past him.

"Nothing-" Linny stopped Dave Mike with a hand to his front.

"Don't say something and ruin it, your rep is saved if they think she is a conquest. Tell them that in the locker room later on," Linny patted Dave Mike's shoulder and walked ahead.

Dave Mike was in a bad mood when he reached the theatre and caught up with his friends. The curtain swayed and he saw Natalie behind it, bending over something; looking timid. He could only watch her, wishing to let her know it was ok or something. "What am I?!" his friends approaching, pulled his attention.

They went up to the he list and scanned their names. "Yes! Toy soldier! And... Fairy Godmother?!" Jackie trailed off. Nick and Linny burst out laughing.

"What am I?" Nick looked at it. "The guy in the sugar plum fairy court who stole a kiss or something... A handsokme calvier. And a mouse!" Jackie snorted.

"Nutcracker prince!" Linny asked looked at the list.

"Whoa, Linnyski, good going!" Jackie exclaimed. "Who's Clara?" He reads it. "Lindsey?!  _Hahahaha_!" Linny glares at him. "And a footman," Jackie says.

"What about your Dave Mike?" David Michael glances at the list and reads the same time his friends exclaim, "Prince Chaming!" He's also was a dancing gingerbread child but he hoped they didn't notice that part.

"Who's Cinderella?!" Nick asked.

"Springer!" Myriah shrieked. "How's that upstart the lead?! And dimwitt Dewitt is Clara?!"

David Michael froze and felt Linny's intensive gaze on him. He also saw Linny stiffen at the dig on Lindsey.

"Look who's talking, Pyriah," Lindsey retorted while she came with her friends Margo and Kerry. Myriah huffed. They scanned the list.

"I'm the sugar plum fairy!" Margo exclaimed. "Finally those dance lessons will pay off!"

"I'm the girl in the sugar plum court," Kerry said in awe. They walked off, talking more.

"Benson is the evil step mother!" Maria exclaimed huffing after the girls. Everyone around chuckled. "And you're the evil step sister, Jen!" Jenny Prizzizo looked closer at the list.

"I am, I hope I get a good costume at least!"

"You will," Maria Kilbourne assured her, "I'm one of the courtiers!"

As they went vto practice for the play, David Michael was stopped by Linny. "Bro, you saw what happened to your rep with one pic, now you're going to be getting so close to her!"

As Natalie came out from behind the curtain and everyone stared at her, Dave Mike felt mixed up as her gaze landed on his.

She looked confused then went up the list and read her name with an inaudible gasp. She looked back at Dave Mike to see him getting ready for practice with everyone else.Her stomach fluttered but she didn't know what to think. Last year she lived in a different world from him and now she was with him more than his girlfriend. If he had one, she didn't know he had one.

Mrs Dramquin called them up. At he first up was Lindsey, Natalie, Benson, and Jake. David Michael and Linny stared at both girls, intently; and both avoided looking at them.

"No Benson, move your hips, that's how a woman moves!" That distracted the guys as everyone chuckled.

"Hold that doll, we'll need a nutcracker." The days went by as they practiced.

"Yes, pull that scarf so she spins!"

"Don't hold back on your enthusiasm Karen! Express your giddiness! I know you must've had practice hurting to convince him at home!"

Jackie swirled a wand then a sword around. "There's no difference excehow the wrist movement, right Mrs Dramquin?"

"Exactly Jackie! that's the core of acting!"

Linny and David Michael practiced dancing with Linsey and Natalie. Dave Mike was awkward approaching, Natalie, but they were natural. His hands tingled after touchinG. "These ballroom Europeon waltzs a composed of spins and twirls! Get ready to lift the gals, gents!" Jackie joined in with Margo and Nick joined in with Kerry.

"That's right Natalie, enter demurely!" Linny knew she had no problem with that.

"Good work Benson! Glare at the nutcracker! Great female facial expression!" Linny couldnt contain hus chuckle and Benson gave him the came look.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi reviews are appreciated! The. Excitement starts now!
> 
> 2 Chs were added before this one

 

David Michael watched the tamagotchi between play practice and basketball/mascot routine. Luckily their last year was a little slow. "You're getting the hang of it!" Lindsey told Natalie after she did the whole routine without a mistake. When she wasn't doing the routine she was reading the script, her lines. Just as David Michael was when he wasn't shooting hoops, practicing. When Natalie was at David Michael's house, watching the tamagotchi; they practiced their lines together, hesitantly. Karen was walking by them looking for a perfect queen's gown. Plus it was hard to practiced romance lines. So they stopped.

The night of the play, Natalie arrived early since she was alone at home and didn't remember the exact time but knew it was after 7. She got first pick for the dresser. But she was twice as nervous. She went to the stage and looked out at the vast, empty audience.

David Michael was nervous so he came to the auditorium early, walked through the audience to the stage. This was where it started, changed, and would end.

Natalie thought she saw something in the audience. First she thought it was her imagination, then she wondered if the auditorium was haunted.

David Michael smiled at her when he got on stage. "You look like you saw a ghost!" He joked.

"I thought you were one," she replied.

David Michael chuckled. "I've never been called a ghost before! But I feel like I'll be one in this school after this year.

"I feel like one already," Natalie replied.

David Michael chuckled. "Nah, you've come so so this year! You were ignored but now you're the person everyone knows!" David Michael referred to how she was a well known mascot at pep rallies, homecoming game, and smaller games. Plus how she designed great costumes for the play and gave other ideas. Not to mention being known as the lead actress of the play.

Natalie smiled at the compliment. "Thanks," she replied. " And thanks for not giving me grief like the other jocks.

David Michael smiled at her. "No need to thank me," he replied. "I treated you like you deserved to be treated. This jock, prep, social thing is going to be over in a few months when we cleave."

Natalie nodded. "So much changed this year," she looked out. Ouotside you could see rebels talking to preps and being friends.

"Yeah and it's the end of so many things," David Michael replied.

"But the beginning of so many," Natalie smiled at him.

"True, a new scene," David Michael smiled at her. "Where are you going?" he looked at her.

"Leafdrop College," Natalie replied. "How about you?"

"No way!" David Michael replied. "Me too!"

" Wow! I'll see you there!" Natalie's said.

" Yeah definitely!" David Michael replied with a smile.

The other arrived. Then they all sat in a circle in the top balcony of the auditorium and had pizza.

"It looks far and bright from here," Jake remarked.

"Yeah, balcony seats," Margo replied.

"In the beginning, I never imagined I'd be in theatre with everyone, but this year has been amazing!" Nick gave a speech. He raised his recyclable hemp-plastic cup. "To a good show!" Nick exclaimed.

" To breaking your leg!" Jackie exclaimed.

"To breaking your leg!" they all repeated, clinking their cups together.

"If I break my leg, you're all signing it in a special theatre section," Nick said as they got up and want down th isle towards the stage.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No worries, I added a prologue!

 

The curtains opened.

 

Lindsey and Natalie stood on stage in old style slightly dressy, non puffy gowns. A house setting with Christmas setting was there. " Father!" They greet as Jake(Drosselmyer) comes on stage. _  
_

"Girls, meet your new step mother, Lady Drusila Tremain, and step siblings, Fritz and Anastasia!" Benson(Lady Tremain) comes in an old dress, followed by Benjamin(Fritz) and Jenny(Anastasia).  

The audience chuckles.  

 

Natalie and Lindsey curtsyed. Ben(Fritz) bowed and Jenny(Anastasia) curtsyed. "Drusila, Anastasia, Fritz; Clara and Cinda."

After the formalities the Christmas party begin. Rosie Wiler(nobleman's girl), Maria Kilbourne(nobleman's girl), Jamie(nobleman's son), Hannah(nobleman's girl), Ricky(nobleman's son related  to the queen by marriage), Nancy(nobleman's daughter), and Bobbi(nobleman's son) came on stage. Natalie(Cinderella) stood in the group with Jenny(Anastasia) while Lindsey(Clara) stayed off to the side with Benjamin(Fritz). "Forgive my step sister," Jenny(Anastasia) said. "She can't tell a witty joke for she's not very social, never having seen court!" Natalie(Cinderella) just stood  embarrassed as the others laughed.

Jake(Drosselmeyer) approached Lindsey(Clara) and pit a doll in front of her. "Here," he smiled at her. Lindsey(Clara) takes the nutcracker Drosselmeyer hands her. Benson(Lady Tremain), standing at the other end, scowls at Jake(Drosselmeyer), Lindsey(Clara) and the nutcracker.

When Jake(Drosselmyer) goes back to the other guests, Benjamin(Fritz) approaches Lindsey(Clara). "That's a fine nutcracker you have there! Hey! I need a walnut, let me use that!" He grabs the doll from Lindsey(Clara) before she can protest. Then he puts a hard walnut on the nutcracker to crack it but the nutcracker cracks instead. "Weak!" he tosses the nutcracker back to Lindsey(Clara), who examines it, upset.

Jake(Drosselmeyer) walks up to Lindsey, while she stands there, cradling the broken nutcracker. "What happened dear child?" he asks.

"Fritz broke my nutcracker," Lindsey(Clara) holds up the nutcracker.

Jake(Drosselmeyer) takes it from her. "What a pity," he says, examining the broken nutcracker. "not to worry, I can fix it." He picks up some clear guaze bandages from a table and bandages the jaw of the nutcracker and hands it back to Lindsey(Clara). "Ah, good as new?"

She examines it and smiles. "Thanks, sir," she replies.

The curtains closed


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I added more to the last CH

 

The week after the first play was performed, SHS was thrown into further chaos. Benson was mocked and Max kept his distance from him. "Im not going to be seen with a guy in a skirt!" Max was seen grumbling to Benjamin.

Guys even threw skirts at Benson from home Ec or their girlfriends', sisters', cousins', mothers', aunts', or grandmas'(these were popular, Benson got a few of those)skirts. Benson was a jock so he wasn't an outcast but the butt of many jokes. "Don't get your for granny panties in a knot!" was popular phrase thrown at him.

At the same time, David Michael was getting treated oddly too. The teachers paired him with geeks. Other guys would talk about a girl to him then say, ''oops, you like the quieter, well behaved ones right?''

Even his friends did the same."Vanessa goes to college around here," Nick said. "Haley and her are having frat party! She. invited us all," Nick told Dave Mike lunch. "Me and Jackie have girlfriends. Linny will probably ask that DeWitt girl. Who will you go with? How about Marilyn Arnold?" Nick asked him. "You like quiet girls right?"

"Uh," Dave Mike replied, startled. "I uh..."

"Great bro! I'll ask her!" Nick said walking towards Mariyln Arnold.

"Wait!" Dave Mike stopped him. "Uh... I don't want to ask anyone. I'd rather meet someone there, you know?"

Nick smiled slyly. "Ok, I get you!" He smiled, knowingly at Dave Mike as the bell rangL

Nick dialed Vanessa's number while he walked in the hallway. "Hi, Vanessa! It's me Nick. I just want ask you something. About frat party.. Yea don't worry, I know where it is. Is Charlotte coming? No! It's nothing, I just want to know. Ok, thanks!"

As Nick hung up, Vanessa hung up on the other end in Leafdro, then slowly walked to class. "youngr Nicky is growing up! I think Nick likes Charlotte Johnson," she told Haley, who came up to her from behind the wall, separating the courtyard from the inside. Haley giggled and Vanessa did too."We have to tell Mal, the triplets, and everyone!"

"Mal could tell, Stacey, I'm sure she'd love to hear this!" Vanessa nodded with a big grin.

At SHS, Nick walked through the hallway he passed Natalie. "Hey," he as aid softly. She looked up from her locker and smiled at him. "You did good in the play yesterday!"

"Thanks," Natalie replied, smiling genuinely . "So did you."

"Thanks," Nick replied smiling with dimples. "Hey! My sister is having s frat party, do you want to come? Lou will probably be there!" Lou was Louisa, Natalie's older sister, who was in the same college as Vanessa and all of them.

"Uh... Ok... Thanks," Natalie replied.

"Great, I'll tell Margo to give you directions," Nick smiled at her. he. Deft, glad her invited her. Theyve been through so much together it was only right to invite her. Plus she helped being out the real Dave Mike.

Natalie picked up her snag after Nick left. She was glad Nick invited her but was not sure about a frat party. She barely went to HS parties, she had no friends after all. Plus Hank's blew up in her face and she. She picked up her bag and went class, anxious about this. She didn't know if she could do this, it's been awhile since she really socialized. She passed by Nick who was smiling with his friends. She wasn't sure but he might've shot her a grin.


	16. Chapter 16

The curtains open

 

 

There was a royal castle room setting in the background. A royal banner hung on the wall and chandelier prop hung in the middle. Karen and Kyle sat on throne propwin royal costume clothing with prop crowns. "We need to have a ball," Karen(the queen) stated.

"Dear, Prince Rowan doesn't want one," Kyle(the king) replied.

"Oh nonsense he'll come around," Karen(the queen) replied."Forthwind," Karen(the queen) said to Andrew(Forthwind) who came in wearing page costume clothes. "Prepare a scroll!"

"Yes your majesty," Andrew(Forthwind) replied, unrolling a scroll.

"Prince Chario Rowan Athalos Cedric De Derwintwater of Charming," Karen(the queen) said. "Is giving a ball!"

"That's a lot of people," Andrew(Forthwind) noted.

"And even more people for the ball," David Michael(Pince Chario) came in wearing costume prince clothes.

"Chario!" Karen said.

"Mother, father," David Michael greeted.

"Mother, do I hear about a ball?" David Michael asked.

"Rowan, this ball... could help!" Karen says.

"Mother, I don't need a ball, I dont want one, I'll find a bride in another way!"

Karen looked at Kyle. "He's got a point," Andrew(Forthwind) replied. Karen(the queen) sighed.

"Rowan this ball isn't for you, Rowan! It's for Teriyn!" Karen(the queen) tears up. " He would've let us have a ball for him for a wife! if he was here!"

Kyle and David Michael(Chario) patted Karen(the queen)'s arm. "Dont talk like that dear, Jocelyn, Teriyn will return soon!"

"He will return at the ball, too!" David Michael(Prince Chario) assured Karen(the queen). "I will gret him when he does!"

"You don't object to the ball?" Karen(the queen) asked with hope in her eyes.

"No," David Michael(Chario) replied. "I think it will help mr find my brother."

"Atleast he will find something at the ball," Andrew(Forthwind) muttered.

"Write this down, Forthwind!" Karen(the queen) stated. "A ball is held in honor of Prince Chario. All eligible ladies, frogs, animals, and dolls are invited!"

"Yes your majesty!" Andrew(Forthwind) bowed. "The prince may choose either one," Andrew(Forthwind) muttered.

"Prince Teriyn will be the one who finds a bride at the ball, where we find him," David Michael(Prince Chario) said confidentally. "He had only gone to the enchanted grove! He can't have gone far! He must've ran into a sorceress!"

"Merek, have you not put clauses for the sorcerors?" Karen(the queen) asked?

"I have but I'll need stronger clauses!" Kyle(the king) said.

"You'll need a strong army too for I doubt diplomacy won't save you from turning into a small creature. These sorcerers have a guild now."

The curtain closed.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Future/present playlist:
> 
> *Just a Matter of Time- Dreamstreet  
> *Ishq Wala Love --Student of the Year  
> *Rock your Body- Justin Timberlake  
> *Feel the Rain- Dreamstreet*  
> *Shooting Star - Owl City  
> *C'mon~Kie$ha  
> *Beauty and a Beat - Justin Bieber  
> *Yuvvraaj--Tu hi toh meri dost  
> *Shano Shano --Yuvvraaj  
> *Let's Get Funky-Dreamstreet

The bell rang and Natalie walked home to get ready for th frat party. She was pressured to go all the jocks and everyone were interested she was coming. "Hey Springer, see you at the party!" Jake called out.  
  
"Hey!" Margo came up to Natalie, Lindsey and Kerry was besides her her. "Nick told me to give you directions but I assume this is your first frat party, am I right?"  
  
"Yeah,"Natalie replied, wondering how many they've been to and feeling like she did nothing compared to her.  
  
Lindsey and Kerry smiled at her. "Ok, so in that case you should come with us! You shouldn't go to perfect party alone, especially if you're still in Highschool." She smiled. "Plus, we'd be glad to have more company."  
  
Natalie smiled. "Ok, great, thanks!"  
  
"Come over to my house! Vanessa might be home today so we can go with her."  
  
After school Natalie went over to Margo's. Margo, Kerry, and Lindsey were already there and led her upstairs. They picked their dresses then looked at Natalie. "Vanessa said it was a toga theme, so we picked out dresses like toga's," Margo said to Natalie. "Like big strap dresses possibly on one shoulder. With gold jewelry and chains at the waste along with a trim and blue silk scarf. Silk material, billow I'm using my old tennis outfit." Margo showed her a white dress that looked like a toga dress. Lindsey had a beige colored dress she designed the same way. Kerry had a biscuit colored dress she designed the same way. Natalie used her gold and creme colored non frilly dress and fashioned it the same way. Their hair was styled in their usual ways but with leaf and gold circlets. They put on some light make up and gold eyeshadow. They also wore gold leaf earrings. They all wore matching lace sandals and matching wristlets.  
  
Once they were ready they went downstairs and said bye to Mallory, who was home for awhile. And Jessie, who was with her. They both wore dresses similar to the girls with the same details, but more like regular dresses.  
  
"If you get into any trouble, call us," she warned them as the two older girls led the younger girls to her car. "We'll stop by but we'll be out," Mallory said "Vanessa's frat parties are wild and she's not too responsible," Mallory grumbled. "And we'll be safe drivers no matter what."  
  
"Even if you were in a party," Margo whispered to her friends and Mallory gave her a dirty look.  
  
"Wait!" Claire bounded out the door with Rosie Wiler, both dressed the same way as the four. "You forgot us!"  
  
"We did," Margo replied.  
  
"Oh sorry Claire," Mallory told the 16 year old. "Forgot you were coming." She turned to Margo. "You, Vanessa, and Nicky better make sure they don't get drunk or anything," Mallory warned.  
  
"Don't forget the triplets will stop by there too," Margo added.  
  
"Well if the Pike bunch is there, there is more than enough of you to make sure she doesn't get in trouble," Mallory warned. "She's only 16, remember."  
  
"I will, I'm only 18," Margo replied.  
  
"And you," Mallory turned to Claire and Rosie. "You girls better not drink, smoke anything, accept any drink from any guy, or trust any guy," Mallory warned.  
  
"Yes mom," Claire replied.  
  
"You just basically forbid her from going to a frat party," Margo replied.  
  
Mallory shot her a look. "For real," she said.  
  
Jessie grinned. "Don't worry, they won't get into anymore trouble than us..." The grin came off her face. "I'm going to call Becca!" She called Becca on her cellphone.  
  
The girls got in the car and drove off towards Greenriver University, towards one of the dorms. When they got there, they found the dorm easy because Mallory and Jessie used to stay there. And more college students and cars there than anywhere else, pulsating beat of party music, and tons of decor lights.  
  
There were a few people people already there when Vanessa parked her orange sedan outside the frat house. Natalie spotted Nick entering the house and Vanessa pulling his ear, saying something to him. Nick wore a toga basically the same color as them with silk shorts underneath and sandals with straps. He wore a gold chain and a leaf circlet. His wallet was clipped on a thin gold waste chain, hanging from his toga pants but slipping in his pocket All the other guys milling around were dressed the same. While all the girls were also dressed the same.  
  
Vanessa killed the engine and everyone got out. Claire and Rosie got out hesitantly. There weren't too many people their age except Andrew, Suzi(and Lindsey eyed her sister critically), Brenda Newton, and a handful of others. Natalie's heart beat a little fast, this was it!. But seeing the younger girls and familiar faces made it a little less intimidating. Natalie got out after Kerry, who smiled at her. Then the four of them went inside followed by the older girls.  
  
"Margo!" Vanessa exclaimed from her place at the door in a creme toga dress like everyone, spotting them. "Glad you could make it!" She hugged Margo and her friends. As Natalie ackwardly made her way behind the other girls, Vanessa even hugged her, but didn't say anything to her. Natalie wondered,.as Vanessa wrapped her arms around her but didn't make much eye contact, knew her. Mallory and her friends set up a 'make friends' play date for Natalie once, so she was familiar with that Pike sister.  
  
She didn't have much time to think about it, Kerry motioned for to follow them with a brief wave of her hand by the hand part. Natalie follows her, a little less sure than before. But it was quiet inside and not many people were inside. Until she saw the keg mixer and bottles of wine, Natalie hadn't thought about drinking. She knew what went on at a frat party but she wasn't expecting any type of animal house kind of thing. Vanessa seemed too goody two shoes, like Natalie. Then she wondered about that as she saw Vanessa sipping a martini and hitching her toga up.  
  
"Here," Natalie was brought out of her thoughts by Lindsey offering her a glass of pink squirrel. Natalie hesitated or a second then took it " it'' mildest". She tol herself she'd only have one or two and remain far from drunk. After drinking it she choked as it burned her. Margo quickly got her water.  
  
"She's chocking on one mild drinkl?! What's next she's drunk off it" Benson snorted, walking in with SHS and college students. "What was your last party like? Fantasy ball drunk a goblet of soda, woke up 2x+5x^2 hours later in a pile of books!" His friends chucklebd,stupidly.  
  
"She isn't a drunk major like you," Jackie defended, coming out if the crowd, then passing by Benson. Natalie noticed Nick leaning against a wall, watching her.  
  
Natalie just followed her friends, joining in occasionally. Older college students(as well as some HSH students), who ignored them started games: beer ping pong, beer race, and dead man walk. Margo exclaimed these were the tamer games as rowdy students keep playing beer race until they stumble. Hank Ruben hits a ping ping in a bottle on and drinks it as girls and guys who laugh.  
  
Natalie's friends walk past the game, trying to keep beer off their dresses. "I don't want beer on my tennis outfit," Margo mutters.  
  
"He's trying to meet and get in a sorority," Kerry glanced at Max, playing beer race to show of.  
  
"He'll moly join the worst of them if any of them welcome alcohol enema and date rope drugs," Margo muttered.  
  
Mryiah sauntered up and joined Max in a thin white toga. max and older guys dropped alcohol on her. "He has company," Kerry muttered.  
  
"Kill the Keg!" A college student(Archie?) yelled.  
  
"Oh joy," Lindsey muttered. Jackie and Nick rushed by and pulled Margo and Kerry forward; while Linny came up to Lindsey, shyly leading her forward.  
  
"You want to go before they make you drink a lot," Natalie turned to see Dave Mike nest to her in a tan toga with matching boxers or shorts under, Natalie couldn't tell but blushed after staring.  
  
"Uh sure."She followed Dave Mike to the keg w and got in line with the others. When it was her turn, she drank as little she could. but she was officially drunk now.  
  
Dave Mike smiled at her. "You're buzzed. You don't hold seem to down too much being thin and this being your first time."  
  
"I guess," Natalie.  
  
"You'll get used to it the n next time around," Dave Mike replied.  
  
Myriah stumbled over. "Dave Mike come play dead man walk with us!"  
  
"...O-k" He turned to Natalie, "c'mon, it's one of the games here worth it!"  
  
Natalie and Dave Mike join a group of college students and Myriah. Natalie recognizes Becca, Charlotte, and Rob Newton. Dave Mike was about to pass her medium strength alchohol. "She should start out slower since she can't handle it!" Myriah laughsheik student the group looked at Natalie, who blushed.  
  
"Nah she can probably handle it better than you," Dave Mike replied.  
  
Myriah snorted. "Please, she's drunk after two drinks!" Natalie's facchurned as everyone chuckled at her. Myriah looked satisyfied.  
  
"Let her at least try," Charlotte defended.  
  
"Yeah, I have a feeling she can out do you in this game," Dave Mike told Myrah, smiling at Natalie who wasn't half that confident. Dace Mike touched her shoulder, encouragingly. Myriah was green with envy. So she schemed and handed Natalie a drink of Cintrian Faro mixed with half spirits. Then Riven Kriek with half spirits. Natalie drank the first while she walked and coughed, it was very strong but syrupy sweet. She stumbled more, after the second she wobbled, barely balanced; after the third(another Cintrian Faro+1/2 spirits) she fell down. She didn't do too bad, best one person.  
  
Dave Mike(who was 3rd) helped her up and stumbled with her past couples making out including his and Natalie's friends. But while Dave Mike stumbled to drink something for then Myriah led Natalie to where people danced, she was visibly the most drunk. Everyone noticed and guys flirted with her, then a skeazy guy who handed Natalie a drink. "Drink it, it's punch, you'll feel better!" in a stupor Natalie did and became out of it. She danced wildly and even did a keg stand but bad idea doing that with a dress. Some guys whistled and Myriah was the only one able to take pics before Natalie tumbled from a keg stand. Then Natalie felt dizzy and sleazy put am arm around her shoulders, leading her upstairs.  
  
Meanwhile a drunk Dave Mike stumbled around, looking for Natalie. Sleazy picked Natalie up and took her in a room, closing the door. He stumbled dropping her on the bed and sliding against the furniture. Natalie semi passed out.  
  
Dave Mike stumbled up to Myriah with a drink. "Hey I was suppose to give this to you?" he slurred, holding out the drink to Myriah, who took it, confused. Dave Mike squinted at her, "hey wait you're not N-Natalie!" He swiped at the drink from Myriah but got her phone instead. He didn't notice as he stumbled across the party and eventually found himself going upstairs.  
  
He stumbled into a room, finding her with sleazy on her, undoing her toga dress. He tackled sleazy off her and decked sleazy, making sleazy bleed before sleazy ran off.  
  
Dave Mike walked to the bed and checked on Natalie before passing out on the bed, next to her.


	18. Chapter 18

The early morning light woke Natalie up. Her eyes sprang sore, irritated, and and her head pulsated. She sat up and let her hair bounce around her, it eased the pulsating, throbbing with the addition of her rubbing her temples with her index fingers. She had to think a moment to remember anything.

Then she wondered where she was and started when she looked at the weight of the arm on her she felt, Dave Mike sleeping next to her to the left, with no shirt(the toga strap was under his left shoulder). She muffled a scream by covering her mouth. Dave Mike stirred and sat up, blinking. "Where am I?" he looked to his left where the muffled scream came from to see Natalie looking at him with wide eyes. She was refastening her toga dress and he yelped. Both had the same blanket over them.

"W-'when?" Natalie started asking.

"Did this happen?" Dave Mike managed to finish. Natalie blushed furiously and both of them looked down in horror. Natalie couldn't remember a thing but both were drunk.

"I only remembering being very drunk and giving then taking a drink from Myriah that was for you," Dave Mike told her. Natalie wondered if it lead to this and her thoughts raced to if it was a date rape drug.

"Why was my toga unclipped?" Natalie asked, bunching the blankets up against her.

Dave Mike frowned a little as he looked around for the drink. "I-I don't know." But he found a pale pink phone instead. "What's this?" He flipped it open and saw a picture of Natalie doing a keg stand in a dress... "Oh wow!" Dave Mike exclaimed. "I can't find the drink... but I found this..." Natalie cautiously leaned over to glance at it then gasped.

"I-I think I remember," Dave Mike said quickly, giving to phone to Natalie who deleted the picture. "I went to Myriah thinking she was you and gave her the drink. Then I took it back, except I took this phone instead. She got you to do keg stands and took a picture. But only she took a pic, no one else was paying attention they were too drunk." Dave Mike added that part, seeing Natalie's face. It was true, he remembered only Myriah standing there while the others just whistled drunkenly before falling over."

Natalie felt a little more relieved but it still didn't explain her toga dress. Suddenly she was shocked by David Michael looking at her right in the eyes. Her heartbeat sped up, his auburn hair was slightly tossed, and her her hair hung off her. "I remember," he said softly, after she locked gazes with him, "coming up the stairs and in this room where I saw some sleaze undoing your toga while you were passed out. I knocked him off you and decked him before he left. After that I guess I passed out..."

If Natalie's heart wasn't pulsating; she would've sighed in relief and smiled at him. But they were too close... All she could say was a soft "thank you".

To which Dave Mike answered, softly, "no need to... I couldn't leave you like that..." Then they leaned into each other and softly lips met. Warmth and Dave Mike's arms fell around Natalie.

Until thunder struck outside as a bright strike of lightening illuminated a figure at the doorway. They jumped apart and in fear Natalie grabbed Dave Mike's arm. Natalie sheepishly let go of Dave Mike's arm, awkwardly when she noticed it was Vanessa at the doorway."Uh," Vanessa said, awkwardly, "I uh didn't mean to uh disturb... But I didn't know when you would wake up." Vanessa fixed her ponytale with one hand. "You see, I accidentally walked in on you two but only after you were passed out. And I quickly left! Mallory picked up the girls and I told her you were here, Natalie, and that I could give you a ride or something; so don't worry."

Natalie's face burned pink, especially that Mallory, Jessie, and now the girls, by extension, probably got the wrong idea. Dave Mike rubbed the back of his neck, awkwardly. He was embarrassed that Vanessa thought he drunkenly slept with Natalie by mistake; but now all of Nick's sisters(he knew Claire came with Margo them) and maybe the triplets would hear so Nick and his friends naturally would too. Not to mention Kerry, Lindsey, and Jessie. Word might even get around school. They got enough grief for associating, they'd never live this down.

But Dave Mike didn't have any feelings about what he'd face. He looked at Natalie sitting with her legs curled sideways clutching the blanket, soft, curly spirals spread around her, looking innocent; and he only wondered what would happen next. "Nothing happened," he told Vanessa. "Some sleaze brought her up here to take advantage of her while she was drunk, but I came just at the right time to knock him out. Then I passed out next to her."

Vanessa gasped. " I'm glad you're okay," she told Natalie who nodded.

Dave Mike and Natalie got up. They thanked Vanessa and left.

When they were outside, Dave Mike turned to Natalie. Her hair was a bit unkempt and her eye shadow was a little smeared but she looked very pretty. Not even the seductive but truly beautiful. "I'll give you a ride," he said. It wasn't even an offer but a statement.

"Oh thanks," Natalie replied.

"It's no problem," Dave Mike replied as they walked near his dark blue audi. He opened the door for her. Natalie blushed but quietly got in, not making any eye contact with him. "I know Myriah set you up," Dave Mike said to her after he was in the driver's seat. Natalie looked at him. "She filled your drinks with half liqure, the worst alcohol to use for that walking game. I think she set up the keg stand and the sleaze too." Natalie blushed at the mention of the keg but she felt a little better to know she was set up. "It's a new low for her," he said as he turned on the engine. He glanced at her as he pulled out. "Don't worry," he said, "Karma will get her!"

"I believe you," Natalie replied softly and Dave Mike smiled awkwardkt at her. Natalie felt a bit better about the situation. It wasn't even the promise of Myriah getting karma, something she automatically hoped for. It was having Dave Mike on her side. It was an added bonus since Myriah liked Dave Mike, but it was really Dave Mike's support that counted.

They were I comfortable silence despite feeling awkward after the kiss. Natalie sighed as she glanced at Dave Mike, determinedly driving (for some reason that Natalie believed no knew was more chivalry); he was a great guy. She never met anither nice guy like him, not even in the nerds, there were no Napolean Dynamites unfortunately. Dave Mike was one of the elite, socially and financially. Natalie wasn't soppose to make eye contact with one of them. Let alone let her presence be known to one of them. Yet these se past few days crossing social circles with Dave Mike was fun and he always helped her. But she wondered what the kiss was..

Dave Mike sighed in relief as he parked outside of Ncarrousel house. He was glad he got her safelt home. She felt like his responsibility these past few days. He felt he got her into the mess the popular jerks kept getting her in and he felt it was his responsibility to make sure she was alright. But eveverything was confusing and uncomfortable after the kiss. She muttered goodbye and he glanced sideways at her as she got before he drove off trying to clear his mind of confusing emotions. Natalie's perfume filling his car and psyche didn't help.


	19. Chapter 19

After confusing dream about Natalie and Linny that made David Michael feel weird, he wished he could avoid school the next day. But he got up as his alarm and three other alarms woke him up.  
"Those are my shoes!" he heard Karen whine from the hallway.  
"They don't for you anymore," Emily Michelle replied.  
"They're still mine!""  
"You mean mine," Kristy intervened. "Karen if you remember, you inherited  
  
  
them from me without even asking.  
"Ok fine," Karen replied.  
"Don’t worry Karen, I didn't inherit anything from you," Andrew teased.  
David Michael came out of his room at this point, washed up. "Sure you did, Drew. You inherited her princess attitude."  
"At this point we all did," Kristy replied.  
"So what do I inherit?" David M ran a hand through his curly hair.  
"A brain hopefully," Karen retorted.  
"From you, not likely," Dave Mike retorted.  
"I don't need to inherit it unlike you," Karen retorts  
"It’s the only thing you won't inherit," David Michael retorted.  
"I know you couldn't afford one but it's not inherited-"  
"Ok I'm inheriting a headache from you two!" Kristi intervenes.  
"'I’ve already inherited it," Emily Michelle mutters.  
The doorbell rang. "Karen, your friends are here!"  
Sam called up.  
"Karen flew downstairs and David Michael went to take a shower. When he was done he came out with a towel wrapped around him. And Natalie was blocking his path. David Michael felt his face heat up  
Natalie walked around him to the bathroom, not meeting his eyes.  
After she went in, David Michael remembered something. "Uh wait I forgot-"  
The door opened again and Natalie came out. "You forgot your boxers," Natalie told him and went downstairs.  
Only to make it worse, Linny, Jackie, and Nick came upstairs and laughed.  
o0o  
Finally they reached school in Linny's blue Audi. David Michael opened his door before Linny parked and got out quickly.  
He was glad to avoid them because they wouldn't let him live the morning incident down and he still felt weird emotions from his dream when he looked at Linny.  
But luck wasn't on his side. He bumped into Max. "Watch where you're going, tinker bell!"  
"If you're looking for Ben, he's getting his tinkerbell dress."  
When David Michael got to his locker, Lindsey came up to him with carnations. "Would you like to send a carnation to someone?" Carnations could me sent to ask someone to the prom at SHS.  
David Michael took out $.50 and picked one of the two magenta flowers. magenta flower. He debated wrote his name on the inside of the rose but the outer circle and scribbled random letters in the center circle inside the rose with a special paste pen. "I can't read it,-" Lindsey said after trying I make out the name but David Michael was go when she looked up. "...Dave Mike?" His name inside the rose was suspiciously more legible.  
*~ {possibly wrong scene} ~*  
The doorbell rang. "The prince is holding a ball and all the eligible ladies are invited to the ball."  
"Help me prepare!" Benjamin (Tremaine) exclaimed while Benson(Fritz) and Jake() left.  
"This is exciting! I need a gown!" Natalie(Cinderella) exclaimed.  
Jen() and Benson(Lady Tremain) glanced at each other. "Cinderella you're wearing my favorite dress!" Jen(Anastasia) whined.  
Natalie(Cinderella) looked down. "Oh it was in my closet, sorry!!"  
Benson(Lady Tremain) took a pitcher from behind her back and poured it on Natalie(Cinderella)'s dress from behind her back.  
"You got it dirty!" Jen(Anastasia) cried.  
"Oh sorry I didn't notice!" Natalie(Cinderella) move away from the table to see her dress stained with pumpkin juice. Jen(Anastasia) cried a bit.  
"Cinda, that wasn't nice, taking _'s dress without her permission and ruining it. As a punishment you can't go to the ball until you help your step mother and step sister get ready," Jake() said.  
  
"Cinderella! start by buying and sewing our clothes and clean the house!" Benson(Lady Tremain) said.  
Natalie(Cinderella) got up to do all of that.  
"Who would you take to the ball anyways?" Jen(Anastasia) sneered after the parents left. "The nutcracker?" She grabbed the doll from Lindsey().  
"No one, "Natalie(Cinderella) replied, taking the doll back from Jen(Anastasia) and giving it back to Lindsey(). "What about you?"  
"The prince of course," Jen(Anastasia) replied, haughtily. "Who did you think?"  
"Did you know there are two princes?" Lindsey() asked.  
"It would be better if you were busy like Cinderella," Jen(Anastasia) told Lindsey(). "You'd probably take the doll. It would save you embarrassment in front of the prince!" Jen(Anastasia) and Ben(Lady Tremain) laughed.  
"Don't just stand there! Get to work!"  
~*~*  
Linny watched Lindsey talk to Dave Mike. She delivered every rose but the magenta one Dave Mike gave her. From his locker. Lately it was all he could do. When she walked by him, he pushed himself off the locker and walked up to her. "Lindsey, I want to buy a carnation." Lindsey let him pick a carnation and he took a dark pink one. He wrote her name outside on the outer circle inside and his on the inner, inside. He gave it back to her then he left. If the girl said yes, she twisted it in a corsage. If no, she planted it in a vase or the ground. If a gel asked a boy then he made a corsage(opening it so the boy's name was visible) and gave it to her for 'yes' or planted it for 'no'. "Your handwriting is worse than Dave Mike's," Lindsey muttered to no one.  
Myriah sent Dave Mike a red rose. Dave Mike quickly planted it. Myriah and her cronies walked over to see as Natalie held a magenta rose in her locker. She gave it to Lindsey silently when she couldn't read it. "Dave Mike," Lindsey read.  
  
"She said Dave Mike!" Myriah hissed as they ran away before anyone saw them.  
"Shut up!" Myriah hissed. "I heard!"  
"We have to do something," _hissed.  
"No kidding!" Myriah flipped her honey colored hair. "Drippy socks!' The girls walked away.  
Natalie was shocked. She knew this punishment would be weird but she didn't expect this in her wildest dreams. When she thought of Dave Mike and how close he was to her the last few days, she felt butterflies. Without thinking, she put it in her on the water fountain. If girls or boys accepted then they put it in water so it could bloom open. Then used it as a corsage. I'd they didn't, they left it in the dirt to dry. If they weren't sure the put it in the water fountain. If it bloomed, it was a sign to say yes. Natalie she saw the time and ran away.  
  
Dave Mike saw a red rose in his locker. He put looked inside and saw it was from Myriah. He threw it in the dirt.  
Jenny noticed a rose in the diet as the girls walked by. "Someone was dissed!" she laughed. She picked it up and opened it. Her face froze.  
"Who?!" Myriah took it from her and looked inside. She felt clammy and dropped it. Be walked ahead without a word and Jenny followed her silently. Myriah would channel her anger in a plot.  
  
Natalie walked by the drama room she the drama teacher stopped her. "What is the meaning of the vandal, Natalie?"  
"I'm sorry?" Natalie was confused.  
The drama teacher scowled.  
"The clothes are ruined while yours is glammed up," the drama teacher hissed, walking in the room.  
 Natalie followed her inside and saw this was true. The clothes on the rack were ruined with ugly patchwork while too much lace and glitter was added to Natalie's servant dress. "I- I didn't do this!" Natalie stuttered to the drama teacher, waiting for her response.

"Even though you didn't admit the truth, I will not tell the principal since you are already in trouble. But you need punishment so you can't go to the prom or other school functions until you fix this mess," Mrs. Dramaquin told her.

Natalie gasped. It would take her atleast hours or a day to fix all of that! She sighed. "Ok Mrs. Dramaquin," she replied. Maybe it was all for the best since she didn't have a date. She thought about the rose David Michael sent her. She was still too surprised to have any opinion about it but she didn't want to get the ire of the school on her or him. She didn't have a gown either and she wouldn't have time to buy one. 

Natalie begin working.  It was nothing but stitch work and glitter removal but Natalie did it easily, working steadily.

As Hank Ruben walked back from soccer practice he saw the strangest sight. Karen and Pamela were walkng together with their friends and boyfriends flanking them. "I'm thinking we can divide the queen," Karen said, "because we were always two types of popular."

"Right," Pamela agreed. "you're the stereotypical popular who's rich and everyone wants to be friends. And I'm the cool, badgirl."


	20. Stage Magic

After confusing dream about Natalie and Linny that made  David Michael feel weird, he wished he could avoid school the next day. But he got up as his alarm and three other alarms woke him up.

"Those are my shoes!" he heard Karen whine from the hallway.

"They don't for you anymore," Emily Michelle replied.

"They're still mine!""

"You mean mine," Kristy intervened. "Karen if you remember, you inherited them from me without even asking."

"Ok fine," Karen replied.

"Dont worry Karen, I didn't inherit anything from you," Andrew teased.

David Michael came out of his room at this point, washed up. "Sure you did, Drew. You inherited her princess attitude."

"At this point we all did," Kristy replied.

"So what do I inherit?" David M ran a hand through his curly hair.

"A brain hopefully," Karen retorted.

"From you, not likely," Dave Mike retorted.

"I don't need to inherit it unlike you," Karen retorts

"Its the only thing you won't inherit," David Michael retorted.

"I know you couldn't afford one but it's not inherited-"

"Ok I'm inheriting a headache from you two!" Kristi intervenes.

"'Ive already inherited it," Emily Michelle mutters.

The doorbell rang. "Karen, your friends are here!"

Sam called up.

"Karen flew downstairs and David _Michael went to take a shower. When he was done he came out with a towel wrapped around him. And Natalie was blocking his path. David Michael felt his face heat up

_Natalie walked around him to the bathroom , not meeting his eyes.

After she went in,, David Michael remembered something. "Uh wait  I forgot-"

_The door opened again and Natalie came out. "You forgot your boxers," Natalie told him and went downstairs.

Only to make it worse, Linny, Jackie, and Nick came upstairs and laughed.

o0o0o0

Finally they reached school in Linny's blue audi. David Michael opened his door before Linny parked and got out quickly.

He was glad to avoid them because they wouldn't let him live the morning incident down; plus he still felt weird emotions from his dream when he looked at Linny.

_But luck wasn't on his side. He bumped into Max. "Watch where you're going, tinker bell!"

"If you're looking for Ben, he's getting his tinkerbell dress."

_When David Michael got to his locker, Lindsey came up to him with a carnations. "Would you like to send a carnation to someone?" Carnations could me sent  to ask someone to the prom at SHS.

_David Michael took out $.50 and picked one of the two majenta flowers. He took a magenta flower. He debated  wrote the his name on the outer circle of the rose  and sceibbled random letters in yhe center circle inside the rose  with a special paste pen.

"I can't read it,-" Lindsey said after trying I make out the name but  David Michael was go when she looked up. "...Dave Mike?" His name inside the rose  was suspiciously more legible.

0 o 0 Curtains/Play open 0 o 0

The doorbell rang. "The prince is holding a ball and all the eligible ladies are invited to the ball."

"Help me prepare!" Benjamin(Tremaine) exclaimed while Benson(Fritz) and Jake() left.

"This is exciting! I need a gown!" Natalie(Cinderella) exclaimed.

Jen(Anastasia) and Benson(Lady Tremain) glanced at each other.  "Cinderella you're wearing my favorite dress!" Jen(Anastasia) whined.

Natalie(Cinderella) looked down. "Oh it was in my closet, sorry!!"

Benson(Lady Tremain) took a pitcher _from behind her back and poured it on Natale(Cinderella)'s dress from behind her back.

"You got it dirty!" Jen(Anastasia) cried.

"Oh sorry I didn't notice!" Natalie(Cinderella) move away from the table to see her dress stained with pumpkin juice. Jen(Anastasia) cried a bit.

"Cinda, that wasn't nice, taking _'s dress without her permission and ruining it. As a punishment you can't go to the ball until you help your step mother and step sister get ready," Jake() said.

 

"Cinderella! start by buying and sewing our clothes and clean the house!" Benson(Lady Tremain) said.

 Natalie(Cinderella) got up to do all of that.

"Who would you take to the ball anyways?" Jen(Anastasi) sneered after the parents left. "The nutcracker?" She grabbed the doll from Lindsey(Clara).

"No one,"'Natalie(Cinderella) replied, taking the doll back from Jen(Anastasia) and givig it back to Lindsey(Clara). "What about you?"

"Thr prince of course," Jen(Anastasia) replied, haughtily. "Who did you think?"

"Did you know there are two princes?" Lindsey(Clara) asked.

"It would be better if you were busy like Cinderella," Jen(Anastasia) told Lindsey(). "You'd probably take the doll. It would save you embarassmemt in front of the prince!" Jen(Anastasia) and Ben(Lady Tremain) laughed.

"Don't just stand there! Get to work!"

_When Natalie(Cinderlla) was finished wirh everything she got the pink dress that was mysteriously in her room. She asks her step mother of she could go but was denied when Jenny(Anastasia) tore Natalie(Cinderella)'s sash and jewlery, saying it was her dress.

_Natalie(Cinderella) cried in garden until a Linny(handsome man dressed like the nutcracker) appeared. "Who are you?"

"Your fair nut at you service, Cinderella!" *The audience laughs* Before _Cinderella(Natalie) could ask who he was the  man(Linny) clapped his hands and the small pumpkin turned into a gold carriage . And thr small animals turned into horsesbab footmen. Natalie (Cinderella) gasped in amazement. "Oh you need a gown, dont make turn around!" Natalie(Cinderella) twirled around and her dress turned into a beatiful, blue gown. Her hair is in a beautiful, intricate pinned hairstyle; her french nails with blue designs/eyeshadow/lipgloas are done beautifully; and she has glass slippers.    _As Natalie climbed in the pumpkin, with Linny(the fair nut). When they reach the palace, the Linny(fair nut) stops Natalie(Cinderella) at the steps. "Remember Cinderella, be home by midnight!"

"I will," Natalie(Cinderella) replies, glumily an the Nutcracker goes the other way.

      0o0 curtains open & close0o0

Dave Mike(Prince Char) dances with all the ladies, without a reaction. He tries to get away but Andre(Worthwind) stops him, "This way your highness!"

"Was that a smile?" Karen(the queen) asked.

"Just a reflex to a sneeze," Kyle(the king) replied.

"Move it! Out of the way!" Benson(Lady Tremaine) and Jenny(Anastasia), push forward until they reach the prince. "Your highess, my daughter, Anastasia, came all the way from paris to dance with you," Benson(Lady Tremain(), in a red gown, bowed and lied.

"Oui," Jenny(Anastasia) bowed in her yellow dress.

"Pleasure," Dave Mike(Prince Char) bowed and reliuctantly danced with _Jenny(Anastasia). "I speak French fluidly, no signor?" (JennyAnastasia) laughed a goody laugh then stepped on Dave Miks(Prince Char)'s foot making the prince grimace..  Then they had to switch partners and Jenny(Anastasia) refused to let go. "He doesn't want to, cnt you see his face? Don't come between young love!" Jenny(Anastasia) was pulled away by Andrew(Worthwind).

Lindsey(Clara) came down the steps to everyone's admiring, and Dave Mike(Prince Char) held out his hand to dance with her next. She wore a beautiful turqoiuse with indigo accents gown, that she found in her closet, mysteriously. After she danced with him for a bit, with the queen pointing excitedly, Lindsey(Clara) excused herself from dancing  she she saw am man with familiar clothes in the distance, enter. Dave Mike(the prince) let her go, with an easy smile. She was a pleasure.

0 o 0 Curtains close/play ends 0 o 0

Linny watched Lindsey talk to Dave Mike. She delieverd every rose burn the majenta one Dave Mike gave her. From his locker. Lately it was all he could do. _When she walked by him, he pushed himself off the locker and walked up to her. "Lindsey, I want to buy a  carnation." Lindsey let him pick a carnation and he took the second magenta one. He wrote her name outside on the outer of circle of petals and his on the inner circle. He gave it back to her then he left. If the girl said yes, she twisted it in a crossage. If no, she planted it in a vase or thr ground. If a girl asked a boy then he made a crossage(opening it so the boy's name was visible) and gave it to her for 'yes' or planted it for 'no'.  "Your handwriting is worse than Dave Mike's," Lindsey muttered to no one.

_Myriah sent Dave Mike a red rose.  Dave Mike quickly planted it. Myriah and her cronies walked over to see as Natalie held a majenta rose in her locker. She gave it to Lindsey silently when she couldn't read it. "Dave Mike," Lindsey read.

 

"She said Dave Mike!" Jenny

 hissed as the ran away before anyone saw them.

"Shut up!" Myriah hissed. "I heard!"

"We have to do something," _hissed.

"No kidding!" Myriah flipped her honey colored hair. "Droppy socs!' The girls walked away.

_Natalie was shocked. She knew this punishment  would be weird but she didn't expect this in her wildest dreams. When she thought of Dave Mike and how close be was to her thr last few days, she felt butterflies. Without thinking, she put it in her on the water fountain. If girls or boys accepted then they put it in water so it could bloom open. Then used it as a crossge. I'd they didn't, they left it in the dirt  to dry.

If they weren't sure the put it in the water fountain. If it bloomed, if it bloomed quickly after it turned upright then it was a 'yes' sign..  Of it didn't then it was a 'no' sign.  Natalie saw the time and ran away.

 

_Dave Mike saw a red rose in his locker. He put looked inside and saw it was from Myriah. He threw it in the dirt.

Jenny noticed a rose in the dirt as the girls walked by. "Someone was dissed!" she laughed. She picked it up and opened it. Her face froze.

"Who?!" Myriah took it from her and looked inside. She felt clammy and dropped it. Be walked ahead without a word and Jenny followed her silently.

Myriah would channel her anger in a plot.

 

_Natalie walked by the drama room she the drama teacher stopped her. "What uis the meaning of the vandal, Natalie?"

"I'm sorry?" Natalie was confused.

 The drama teacher  scowled.

"The clothes are ruined while yours is glammed up," the drama teacher hissed, walking in the room..

_Natalie followed her inside and saw this was true.When she looked at the clothes on the rac to her leftk were ruined with ugly patchwork while too much lace and glitter was addeed to Natalie's servant dress.

_Mrs Dramaquin walked up tithe rack and pulled a ruined dress out. "This was Maria's costume! You were spitefulto ruin it!"

"But Mrs, Dramaquin I didn't-"

_Mrs Dramaquin put he hand up. "No excuses Ms. Springer. You have to clean this up. Then run the  shop. You can only buy a dress from there once you finished running the shop!" The shop sold prom dresses along with other things at very good price. The dresses(good brands/styles) were better quality then thr dresses sold in town(or even on the internet) at the same price. They were used but cleaned, expertly. Everyone bought from the a school shop but if Natalie bought last, all the good dresses would be gone. She sighed.

_Maria snickers from the stage rafters where she, Myriah, and Jenny watched. "I didn't like that dress anyways, Im glad we ruined it " Maria says. The other two giggle.

_Hank noticed a rose in the fountain. He picked it up and looked at it, curiously. _Almost no one in SHS used the fountain to decide to accept someone. He peered inside the slowly blooming rose. _He makes out Dave Mike's name then after looking at it closely, he read 'Natalie'. He gasped an dropped it back in the fountain.

_He walked quickly towards the auditorium. He felt bad about the punishment and especialy for Natalie who got unwanted attention.   The band members, theatre nuts, artists,  craftists,  academic    cliques, burn outs, hipsters, , and etc. were mad at Natalie for ruining the status quo and confusing them. Only Natalie because she broke the biggest barrier. Pamela and Karen were both popular. Karen was a prep while Pamela was a jockette. Their only difference was opinions.

_Hank sighed. He wished he could  make it up to Natalie. Near the stage he overheard Myriah, Maria, and Jenny. Now he knew how. He went to the shop and hid a pink gown. When Natalie was done she bought the dress.

_When she asked the Drama teacher if she could go, the drama teacher said yes. Until Myriah complained the gown Natalie had in her bag was the one she kept aaide to buy later but was miasin when she went to buy it. She accused Natalie if hiding it.

_Natalie was forced to sell it to Myriah then told she had to set up the props to recreate the ball scene realisically(the biggest challege) on stage(for thr lady months the play) if she wanted to go.

_Natalie sighed as the girls and teachers left. Myriah and her posse talked loudly and obnoxiously.

_Natalie sighed, sitting alone in the stage. Hank sat above, feeling bad until he had an idea. He ran to the security tapes

0o0o0

Dave Mike got ready at his house. Nick was at his house and Jackie was at Linny's house. After they got ready they  went downstairs. Watson, Elizabeth, Charlie, Sam and took pictures of Dave Mike( whose friends with thee dates was there) an Karen(whose date Kyle came in and tied a crossage). Then Dave Mike his friends left. "Whose your date Dave Mike," Linny asked.

"No one," Dave Mike replied. "Hiw about you?"

"I sent Lindsey a rose butni didn't see what she did with it," Linny mumbled

"But you can get any girl you want, Dave Mike. You're the star point guard!

They went to jackie's house then Nick's, where Jackie tied a crossage on Margo, the Pikes took pictures and Nick's sisters embaraased him. Then they went to Kerry's house where they did the same thing. Logan smiled fondly at them all. "I remember when I used to babysit you an d you guys played prom.

"Tell me about it! Kristy saved the pictures to put it in our face on this dy," Dave Mike shook his head.

"Sounds like Kristy," Logan chuckled.

"Not just Kristy," Margo muttered. "Mallory and Vanessa already made us take one picture in the way we did as kids! And  she wants you to take one like  that with all of us together," Nick said.

Jacks nudged him. "Dude! Why'd you tell?!"

~"They were going to find out anyways," Nick replied, "they're going to trade picturers. Do you really think the old babysitters and parents of his neigh orhood are going to put these picturea in a photo album? They're going to make collage."

_Logan laughed. "Dont worry, you'll look better than when you did this as kids."

"Where's Hunter?" Kerry asked. "Shouldnt he be in this?"

"He went to the bathroom at that time, so he's excused. This time he left with Suzu Barette-Dewitt so he's excused. I think he had to go to the bathroom this time too..."

"I shouldve went to the bathroom," Jackie grumbled. he grabbed Linny's water bottlle and started drinking.

"Save that for Linny, he'll need it when he meets Lindsey!@ Nick laughed.

_Linny, Dave Mike, Jackie, and Nick  held swords and crusader capes. They sat in various positions in Bruno parlor  room which looked medieval. Margo and Kerry did the same but with crowns and hats with laces.

_Logan took a picture. "How much can I pay you to tell Kristy and Mallory your camera broke?" Jackie asked.

"You haven change a bit Rodowaki," Logan laughed, fondly.

"Sute I have. Nothing broke I'd it?"

"Lets not jinx that," Logan said seriously. Jackie grinned at him. "But we already have." Logan kept the camera away.

Kerry grabbed it. "It actually came out pretty cool," she muttered. The four said later to Logan and left.

_Logan was coming later as a chaperone. The old babysitters volunteeres to chaperone at SHS so thr kids could have chaperones who atleast weren't this parents. Dave Mike mumbled in protest that Kristy elevated herself to both their parents plus a drill sargent. Despot was in her nature.

0o0o0o

Hank jumped up when he got his idea. He ran towards the stage and hit some buttons. Resulting in a puff of smoke when he came on stage. Natalie jumped a little, her sandals sliding with friction against the stage floor. She stood up, her blouse billowing above her capri's.

Hanks put his arms down and smiled. Hey Natalie! Overheard your dilema and I have a solution for you."

Natalie regarded him, he was the beach house owner who had thr party where the got caught. "Er okay," Natalie replied.

"For a realisitc ball scene... I saw the play twice and saw everyone had trouble dancing on the tiny stage with props for ballroom already taking space. The background picture of dancing lookedlike you were dancing on a bilboard," Natalie cringed inside, thinking of that.

"It's especially terrible when the rest of the props and scenes are realistic..." Hank went on. "So I have an idea." He typed on his phone  and set it up to a projector. "This is the school security footage" Hank explained. "Security cameras are everywhere. Eecially in the gazebo ballroom where prom is.." To make his point Hank got on a ladder and turned off the cameras in the adultorium stage.

The gazebo ballroom was on the third floor of the school. It was a mutlilayered ballroom buliding(back when the school was an entertaining area) in a  stone  ballroom building with a crystal dome ceilimg. And a gazebo I'm the center of a massive garden lining the ledges and grounds of the ballroom with flowers/plants/fruits of every kind. Now it as used for astronomy, gardening, and any dance teams.

_Hank turned thr projector on and a 3d

view of the inside came on stage. They could see the all the layers of the ballroom decorated(even the crystal

Dome ceiling left uncovered). Natalie looked like she was there. The gym floor was covered by the hologram image of the ballroom floor. No one was there but the principal and Kristy. Natalie watched as they talked. It was eery, like they were there but they weren't. Natalie waved at Kristy but she kept filling the punch bowl and talking, unaware. They could hear them too.

_Hank laughed and made bunny ears behind the principal, who laughed at that time. Natalie laughed.  "That's an amazing idea Hank!"

"Thanks." Hank walked through the principal, the switched to a camera outside the ballroom. Then all over the school. They saw Myriah yelling outside and a jainitor dancing.  Then Hank turned it off and showed Natalie how to access the security video on her phone.

"I can go to the ball from here!" Natalie said in awe.

"If you like to just watch and not interact with anyone and let anyone sees you," Hank said indecrediously.

"I'll be right back!" Hank ran away again, shutting and came back driving a go cart. "Thry won't miss it," Hank said. "But a certain trio will have to walk back from the gold course." He switched the projected on and grass filled the floor. Myriah and her groupies walked towards the edge of the stage where Hank was riding his go cart onto the stage. Natalie jumped on the go cart at the same time. _After going through the trio it crashed into the pumpkins prop. Pumpkin shells covered the go cart and glitter covered.

_"Damn!" Hank got out. He looked at the cart "This turned out in our favor. But we'll have to recreate the prop when we get back!"

_Hank turned to Natalie. " You need a gown too!" He went behind stage the costume rack and pulled out the Cinderella gown. But he took out the costume shiny pieces and put in lace. Then he took the pretty platnum strapped colored heels with a plastic bottom. Natalie bought and put the holed matching cloth like material between and around it.

_Natalie was dressed  and her hair was done half up, intricately. Her nails were French tipped and designed. She wore light makeup on her face. She had crystal blue earrings and the slippers on her feet.

_Hank met her on the stage, coming from the boy's dressing room as Natalie came from the girl's dressing room thrufh the root under the stage. Nayale appeared in a spiral of smoke and glitter, ready.

 Hank was ready in a silver tuxedo. He held two corsages. One had his and Louisa's name on it. "You are going with my sister?" He nodded.

_He handed her the other one with familar scribbles. "It bloomed," he smiled  "You should go up to him, Cinderella!"

_Natalie laughed at his teasing remark and took it. "I can't! Besides he probably has a date."

Hank turned the projector on. Images if the ballroom came on.  The room was decorated in snowflakes, a glittering floor, wreaths, pale flower vines, smoke clouds, holy flowers, christmas ornaments hanging from the ceiling, and glitter falling from the ceiling like snow. Natalie looked around in awe.  Everyone was filing in as the ball started. Natalie saw Lindsey looking at her lucky charm, a knight, then she saw Linny, dressed like one. She saw Lindsey walk through her to Linny.

_"Beautiful," Hank said and Her friend, along with the ball disappeared after Hank pushed a button.

_Hank moved asile pumpkin big pieces in the to cart, acting like doors. "Remember you have to be back by midnight. To return the costume and restore thr prop," Hamk told her as she got in.

_Hank got in the pumpkin go cart too and  it took off. It went down the stage, out of the auditorium, through thr empty hallway, and out if the automatic door when Natalie threw a chapstick at the button to make it open. The cart sailed out into the open blue,  night and up a tiny bridge towards the ballroom under the stars. Fireworks were heard in the distance.

 


End file.
